Solute & Pressure Potential in Plant Cells
- Water potential is represented by Ψ or Ψw
- The water potential of a solution is influenced by several factors, including solute potential and pressure potential
- Solute potential, also known as osmotic potential, is represented by the symbol Ψs
- Solute potential is the effect that solutes in a solution have on water potential:
- Pure water with no dissolved solutes has a solute potential of zero
- As solutes are added to a solution its solute potential decreases and becomes more negative
- Provided that pressure potential (see below) remains constant, a decrease in solute potential will cause a decrease in water potential
- The effect of solutes on water potential can be explained as follows:
- Solute molecules bind to water molecules via hydrogen bonds as they dissolve
- The potential energy available in the water is transferred to the hydrogen bonds
- The reduction in potential energy means that the water potential is reduced
- Solute potential is the effect that solutes in a solution have on water potential:
- Pressure potential, also referred to as turgor potential or turgor pressure, is represented by Ψp
- Pressure potential is the hydrostatic pressure to which water is subjected
- Pressure potential inside plant cells is usually positive as the cytoplasm exerts pressure on the inside of the cell wall; this is turgor pressure and provides support for plant tissues
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Negative pressure potential can occur in xylem vessels where water and dissolved minerals are transported under tension
- Solute potential, also known as osmotic potential, is represented by the symbol Ψs
- The total water potential of a solution is the sum of its solute potential and its pressure potential, as shown in the formula:
Ψw = Ψs + Ψp
Solute potential and pressure potential diagram
(Left) Water potential is affected by solute potential and pressure potential; here both of these are zero, so the total water potential is zero
(Centre) Solute potential inside plant cells is below zero due to the presence of solutes in the cytoplasm; this means that plant cells placed in pure water have a lower water potential than their surroundings and water moves in by osmosis
(Right) As plant cells fill with water the pressure potential increases due to the pressure of the cytoplasm on the inside of the plant cell wall; the cell will fill with water until the pressure potential cancels out the effects of the solute potential