The younger portion of the mature region, or just back of the elongation region, is the root hair zone. In this zone, the epidermal cells develop hair-like growths or protrusion out into the soil mass. These root hairs are active in absorbing water and nutrients from the soil. They increase the absorbing power of a root many times. Many have estimated that the root hairs absorb 95% of the materials absorbed by plant roots. As the root elongates, the older root hairs sluff off and new root hairs develop on the newer epidermal cells.