Question

The water potential and osmotic potential of pure water is respectively
A) 100 and 0
B) 0 and 0
C) 100 and 200
D) 0 and 100

Answer 1

Hint: The movement of water molecules and other nutrients inside the complex organisms is determined by various factors like osmotic potential, facilitated diffusion, water potential etc.

Complete Answer:
- The water potential is the potential energy of water per unit volume. The tendency of water to transfer from one area to another because of osmosis, mechanical pressure, gravity, and capillary action is quantified as water potential.
- The concept of water potential is involved in the study of water movement inside the animals, plants, and soil. The movement of water either in the same or different direction is integrated by water potential.
- Within any biological system there are many factors that affect the potential difference, for example; the addition of solutes lowers the potential and the increase in the pressure increases the potential.
- In simple words, the water will move from higher potential areas to lower potential areas. Like water with dissolved salt has lower potential that means it has negative water potential compared to pure water.
- Now, from the above information it can be concluded that the water potential of pure water is zero and also the osmotic pressure is zero as there is no dissolved salt is there in pure water.
- If there is any solute particles are there in the water the water potential and the osmotic potential will developed and it increases accordingly

Thus, the correct option is ‘B’. 0 and 0.

Note: The water potential is the determination of free water molecules or the potential energy of the water molecules on the other hand osmotic potential is used to determine the water potential for movement from one lower solute concentration area to higher solute concentration are, therefore, both are not same but related.