In: Biology
Stomata begin to open with the first light of the day. If the water potential in the leaf drops to -0.4 MPa, what will the guard cell's water potential to be during the opening of the stomata?
water potential is the tendency of water molecules to move .they move from high potential (less negative) to low potential ( more negative).it can be calculated as the sum of osmotic potential and pressure potential.
Guard cells are the leaf and stem epidermal cells that bends to open stomata by becoming turgor by taking up potassium ion and water into them.To open stomata the guard cells become less water potential which allows water to enter guard cells by osmosis and they become turgid ( a turgor cell have zero water potential) opening stomata.
As the leaf potential is -0.4 MPa( megapascals) to open the stomata now the guard cells take up more water and ions and become turgor to open stomata).
Water Potential order to move from soil into plant and into atmosphere :
water potential of soil> water potential of root> water potential stem> water potential of leaf> water potential of atmosphere.