Water reaches the leaves of plants through a process called transpiration. Transpiration is the process by which water is evaporated from the leaves of the plant into the atmosphere. The water travels up the stem of the plant through xylem cells, which are thin tubes that run from the roots to the leaves. This movement of water is caused by a combination of the attraction of water molecules to each other (known as cohesion) and the adhesion of water molecules to the walls of the xylem cells. As the water evaporates from the leaf surface, it creates a negative pressure in the xylem, which causes more water to be drawn up from the roots to replace what has been lost. This continuous cycle of water movement helps to keep the plant hydrated and enables it to carry out photosynthesis, a process in which sunlight is converted into energy.