How does transpiration move water from plants into the atmosphere?

Transpiration is the process by which water is lost from a plant, primarily through small pores on the leaf surface called stomata. As water evaporates from the leaves into the atmosphere, it creates a negative pressure, or tension, that pulls water upward through the plant's xylem tissue from the roots.1234

This mechanism, known as transpiration pull, relies on the cohesion hypothesis. Because water molecules are attracted to one another (cohesion) and to the walls of the xylem vessels (adhesion), they form a continuous, unbroken column that can be pulled to great heights—even to the tops of the tallest trees—without breaking under the tension. While stomata are essential for gas exchange during photosynthesis, the resulting water loss is an unavoidable consequence of this process. Plants regulate this rate by opening or closing their stomata in response to environmental factors like light, temperature, and water availability.3412