Why would a plant die if it were given oil, instead of water?

i know because oil isnt water but why would it?Why would a plant die if it were given oil, instead of water?
Fat, oil, and grease (FOG) have a high C/N ratio (90:1) If they are applied to agricultural soils, they affect the availability of N to crops. N is immobilized during the FOG's decomposition. The same will happen in a compost pile without an external nitrogen source. FOG will slow the compost reaction if it is added in high concentration or greater than 1% of mass. N availability is a limiting factor forsoil microorganisms responsible for decomposition of organic materials. As the soil N is tied up in decomposition the plants are starved.





The problem is direct coating (oiling) of wildlife or plants with the spilled oil product. Vegetable oils, animal fats, and petroleum oils can cause effects, such as coating, and oxygen depletion. Oils can coat the roots or the leaves to stop gas exchanges and block the uptake of nutrients. Only applied at the correct levels can they be used as horticultural sprays to control insects or fungi.





Oil coatings from marine spills are less detrimental to plants than the chemical dispersants. ';Howard et al. (1989) concluded that if oil cannot be prevented from covering eelgrass beds, then dispersant treatments must be avoided in order to minimize the risk of a partly dispersed oil mixture affecting the eelgrass. It was advised that oil coverage on eelgrass beds should be left untreated, and the oil layer allowed to disperse by tidal action.'; Dispersant cause the oil to penetrate the soil effecting the nitrogen cycle. Heavy petroleum oils have little penetration of substrate, but can be highly adhesive.





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';Both weathered and unweathered oil had similar effects on Spartina alterniflora: standing stocks were lower than those


in the unoiled control treatment. ... Additional support exists for the contention that weathered oil is at least as toxic to plants as fresh oil. Weathered oil was found to be more toxic to kelp than fresh oil.';





Weathering is physical, chemical, and biological processes that begin to transform the discharged oil. Penetration of oil into marsh vegetation may depend on oil viscosity; weathered oils penetrate less than fresh oil. Weathered oil is composed of relatively insoluble compounds, and often coalesces into mats or tarballs.Why would a plant die if it were given oil, instead of water?
you answered your own question. plants need water for photosynthesis. If you want to beat the bush with oil, then say what kind of oil. vegetable oil? motor oil? synthetic oil? whale oil?
Oil doens't have the minerals and oxygen, including the moisture that a plant needs to absorb to every leaf, moisture.


Oil could be partially absorbed however, the oil would dehydrate and possibly ';cook'; the plant due to the heat transferance from the suns rays.
Of course plants need water to absorb nutrients and to perform photosynthesis. The same nutrients could be added to oil; the reason the plant will die if given oil, even nutrient rich oil, is that plant cells absorb the nutrients through the semi-permeable membranes in their cells. Oil cannot be absorbed through these membranes.
Because the plant can't get the thick oil into its roots. Water is thinner.
How about if you ask, ';if not given water, would a plant die?';





Because even if you are giving it oil, you are not giving it water.





Dehydration is the answer.
Water is essential in all living cells as a means of transportation and other things. Oil does not have the same chemical properties as water. Hydrogen bonding is essential in the process called transpiration which is basically how a plant breathes. lots of other stuff too take some bio courses if you are interested.
in its properties oil differs a lot from water. water is a very essential chemical for carrying out the basic metabolic activities. also oil will be unable to dissolve the various minerals needed by the plant