How are water and minerals transported in plants?

Transportation of water and minerals in plants takes place as follows:
The roots of a plant have hair called root hair which absorbs water and dissolved minerals by the process of diffusion.These further passes from cell to cell by osmosis through the epidermis, root cortex, endodermis and reach the root xylem.The xylem vessels of the root of the plant and the xylem vessels of its stem are connected.Therefore, the water containing dissolved minerals enters the stem xylem vessels.Further the water and dissolved minerals are carried by the xylem vessels in the stem reaching the leaves through the branched xylem vessels which enter from the petiole (stalk of the leaf) into each and every part of the leaf.Thus the water and minerals from the soil reach through the root and stem to the leaves of the plants.This continuous uptake creates a root pressure which allows water to be pushed upwards from the root to the plant body. In tall plants, like trees, transpiration is responsible for the pull of water.Transpiration includes the evaporation of water molecules from the cells of a leaf which creates a suction and pulls water from the xylem cells of roots.