Water Potential Flashcards
What is water potential (definition)?
A measure of the pressure exerted by the movement of water. Measured in kilopascals.
What is the water potential of pure water ?
Zero.
What is osmotic lysis?
Cells bursting due to too much water entering the cell via osmosis.
When is water potential low ?
When there are a large volume of dissolved substances in the water and therefore it is less pure.
When is water potential high?
When there are few dissolved d substances in the water and therefore it is fairly pure.
What is the maximum value for water potential.
0
When is water potential high.
When there are very few dissolved substances in water.
When is water potential very low.
When there are a lot of dissolved substances in the water.
What is a solute ?
A substance dissolved in a solvent and together they form a solute.
What is water potential measured in ?
Kilo pascals
Is a substance of -10kPa more or less pure than one of 0kPa
Less pure as it has a lower water potential and therefore has more dissolved substances within it.
