Chapter 36__Water Potential

First, go to figure 36.11 p. 789. Look at the water potential values listed on the side. Where is
the water potential lowest in value? Leaves.Where is the water potential highest in value? Roots
Does this make sense given the overall movement of water up the plant? Yes because the water
wants to travel from a high water potential; the roots to a low water potential; the leaves, by a
pull from the water on the ouside of the plant, causing the water potential closest to the leaves to
be lower.

center of root
(where xylem /
phloem are) edge of root

A small piece of a plant’s root is shown in the diagram above. Materials enter the root from the
soil on the left side of the diagram (but really, all around the edges of the root) and then make
their way to the center of the root where xylem exist to carry water up the plant’s stem to leaves.

1) Water flows in this direction due to osmotic pressure. Let’s investigate one reason for this
movement of water – root push (or root pressure, p. 787).

Read what it says about root push (1st paragraph), then fill in the diagram below.

Mineral ions= solute

A LOT OF DOTS
HERE
endodermis cell xylem cell
-Line=caspartian strip
The endodermis “pumps” ions and soil minerals into the xylem – does this sound like active or
passive transport? Draw dots to summarize what the effect of this would be in the xylem cells.
The minerals would get built up in the xylem cells, and there would then be more water attracted
there.
How does this affect water potential – identify the component of water potential affected, and
how it would broadly change that number. This will decrease the water potential because the
solute potential will decrease because more particles will attract the water, pulling the water and
lowering the potential.

Explain how osmosis would be affected – draw arrows to show the net movement of water.
Osmosis would be affected because there will be a less water potential where all the particles are
so the water will be at a greater concentration difference and be more likely to travel to that side.
Why would this cause a “push” eventually in these xylem cells? Identify the component of water
potential affected, and how it would broadly change that number.
This will cause a push in the xylem cells because as more water is wanting to travel in through
the roots, the water will be pushed upwards as there is more solute on the side of the xylem,
lowering the solute potential on that side. There is also a push from the additional water on the
side of the cortex, increasing the pressure potential, increasing the water potential. This causes a
greater difference between the two water potentials causing the water to be pushed up the plant.

2) Now let’s investigate the second major cause of water movement up – transpirational pull.

Read about transpirational pull (p. 788), then answer the following questions as a group.

Why is there empty air space inside a plant leaf? Why not pack more photosynthetic cells tightly
in there (think about what is required for photosynthesis).
There is empty space inside a plant leaf because cells need CO2 for photosynthesis, and space
for the mesophyll cells to absorb the CO2 for photosynthesis.

The pulling is caused by transpiration (water breaking hydrogen bonds with other water
molecules in the liquid phase when it turns into a water vapor gas). But if this pull only occurs
up at the leaves (and stems of green-stem photosynthetic plants), how is the pull felt by water
travelling through the stem and roots?
Because as the water is pulled up the surface tension on the mesophyll cells increases. Soon it
pulls water from surrounding cells from the empty space area to compensate for the higher
surface tension. As more and more water is evaporated, more and more water is pulled from the
xylem and the roots of the plants.

This is a physical pulling at the top – so what component of water potential is involved and what
value makes sense for a pulling pressure?
The transpiration occurs because the water potential is lower on the outside of the leaf because
there is more solute compared to water(solute potential). This makes the water evaporate from
the empty space beneath the leaf. Then this causes a pull on the water being pulled up, which is
causing the pressure potential to decrease because there is a pulling force. This concept continues
through the roots as there is always a more negative pressure potential above than below on the
xylem, pulling the water up.

3) Identify multiple adaptations that some (or all) plants have to control the rate of transpiration.

On their leaf they might have cuticle;which prevents from too much evaporation, stomata; opens
and closes, and they have high surface area to volume ration. If in the desert, might produce
small leaves when lots of water, and the leaves will die suddenly when it is dry again, to prevent
transpiration. Some may have thick cuticle, or upper epidermal tissue or trichomes, to keep the
water(humidity)trapped in the plant. Some have shiny leaves to reflect the sunlight.

4) Identify structural adaptations in roots / stems / leaves that promote the bulk flow of water up
the plant.

Some plants have highly branched plants, mycorrhiyze, or co-tranport on their roots and they
have high surface area to volume ration.