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? In the soil
Where is the water potential highest in value? In the outside air
Does this make sense given the overall movement of water up the plant? Yes

edge of root

center of root
(where xylem /
phloem are)

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.
= solute

endodermis cell xylem cell

The endodermis “pumps” ions and soil minerals into the xylem – does this sound like active or
passive transport? Active transport
Draw dots to summarize what the effect of this would be in the xylem cells.

How does this affect water potential – identify the component of water potential affected, and
how it would broadly change that number. It generates root pressure and water is pulled upward
by the negative pressure in the xylem.it lowers water potential.

Explain how osmosis would be affected – draw arrows to show the net movement of water. The
movement of water during osmosis would be counteracted since turgor pressure limits the
amount of water a cell can take in.

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. Water from the root cells flow
into the xylem, generating a positive pressure that forces fluid up the xylem.
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). It allows carbon dioxide and oxygen
to leave and enter the cells in the leaves through diffusion.

The pulling is caused by transpiration (water breaking covalent 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 of the cohesion and adhesion forces that facilitate
transpirational pull between water molecules and the stem.

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? Pressure potential is involved and it should be a
negative value as it is pulling and not pushing.

3) Identify multiple adaptations that some (or all) plants have to control the rate of transpiration.
Xerophytes have leaf modifications that reduce the rate of transpiration. Some plants use a
specialized form of photosynthesis called crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) where stomatal
gas exchange occurs at night. Plants also regulate the rate of transpiration by opening and closing
the stomata.

4) Identify structural adaptations in roots / stems / leaves that promote the bulk flow of water up
the plant.
Water and solutes move together through tracheids and vessel elements of xylem, and sieve-tube
elements of phloem. Efficient movement is possible because mature tracheids and vessel
elements have no cytoplasm, and sieve-tube elements have few organelles in their cytoplasm. So,
plants can move a large volume of water from their roots to their shoots.