Step 1: Understanding the Concept
Water moves inward through the root layers from the soil to the xylem.
Step 2: Step by step
Water first enters the root hairs, which are outgrowths of epidermal cells in contact with soil water. It then crosses the cortex and reaches the endodermis, where the Casparian strips force it through the living cells.
Step 3: Last stages
After the endodermis it passes the pericycle and enters the xylem at the outer protoxylem, then moves to the metaxylem. Roots have exarch xylem.
Final Answer:
The path is Soil, Root hair, Cortex, Endodermis, Pericycle, Protoxylem, Metaxylem.
\[ \boxed{\text{(C) }\text{Soil}\rightarrow\text{Root hair}\rightarrow\text{Cortex}\rightarrow\text{Endodermis}\rightarrow\text{Pericycle}\rightarrow\text{Protoxylem}\rightarrow\text{Metaxylem}} \]