would the water potential of potaot cells change if cylinders were alloewd to dry out? in what way?
increase or decrease?
thanks.
To determine whether the water potential of potato cells would change if cylinders were allowed to dry out, we need to consider the concept of water potential and the effect of drying.
Water potential is a measure of the tendency of water to move from one area to another, determined by solute concentration and physical pressure. It is affected by factors such as the concentration of dissolved solutes (osmotic potential) and the pressure applied to the solution (pressure potential).
When a potato cylinder is allowed to dry out, it means that water is lost from the cells due to evaporation. As water is lost, the solute concentration inside the cells becomes more concentrated, increasing the osmotic potential. This increase in solute concentration lowers the overall water potential of the potato cells.
Therefore, when a potato cylinder dries out, the water potential of the potato cells decreases. The cells become more negative in terms of water potential and have a higher tendency to lose water to the surrounding environment.
In conclusion, the water potential of potato cells would decrease when they are allowed to dry out.