Which statements are true about water movement in plants?

Select 2 answers.

Question

Which statements are true about water movement in plants?

Select 2 answers.

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Question asks to identify two true statements about water movement in plants.
Option 1: 'Hydrostatic pressure along the xylem is under tension (P<0) to maintain the transpiration stream.' This reflects the cohesion-tension theory, where tension (negative pressure) in the xylem pulls water upward as transpiration occurs at the stomata. It correctly describes the driving force for water transport in tall and even short plants, so this is true.
Option 2: 'Hydrostatic pressure inside cells is positive (P > 0) to maintain turgor.' Plant cells maintain turgor pressure because their internal water exerts positive hydrostatic pressure against the cell wall. This turgor supports structural rigidity and drives cell expansion when appropriate. Therefore, this statement is true.
Option 3: 'The gravitational potential Ψg is a major determining factor of total water potential Ψ, regardless of plant size or height.' While gravitational potential contributes to total water potential, it is not always the major factor, especially in small plants where Ψg is negligible compared to solute (Ψs) and pressure (Ψp) components; in tall trees, Ψg becomes more relevant, but the phrase 'major determinant ... regardless of size or height' is inaccurate. This makes the statement false.
Option 4: 'Water deficit increases the water potential gradient between plant and atmosphere.' A deficit (drier soil) lowers soil water potential, which can increase the gradient between soil and plant, or between plant and atmosphere indirectly via changes in transpiration demand, but the wording ties the gradient specifically to plant–atmosphere rather than plant–soil or soil–atmosphere dynamics; overall, this statement is misleading and not a reliable general description of water movement under deficit, so it is false.
Option 5: 'The movement of water through diffusion is maintained by cohesive force between molecules.' Diffusion is driven by concentration gradients, not by cohesion per se. While cohesive forces contribute to the cohesion-tension mechanism for long-distance transport in xylem, diffusion as a process is governed by random molecular motion and gradients. Attributing diffusion primarily to cohesive forces is incorrect, so this statement is false.

AGRI20026_2025_SM1 Exam: Plant Growth Processes (AGRI20026_2025_SM1)- Requires Respondus LockDown Browser

Which statements are true about water movement in plants? Select 2 answers.

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