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Pressure Potential (Ψp) is the component of water potential due to the hydrostatic pressure. It represents energy per unit volume of water required to transfer an infinitesimal quantity of water from a reference pool of water at the elevation of the soil.
The calculator uses the formula:
Where:
Explanation: The pressure potential is calculated by subtracting the solute potential from the total water potential of the system.
Details: Pressure potential is crucial in plant physiology for understanding water movement, cell turgidity, and osmotic relationships. It helps determine the direction of water flow between cells and their environment.
Tips: Enter water potential and solute potential values in Pascal. Both values must be valid numerical inputs for accurate calculation.
Q1: What is the typical range of pressure potential in plant cells?
A: In turgid plant cells, pressure potential is typically positive, ranging from 0.3 to 1.5 MPa, while in flaccid cells it approaches zero.
Q2: How does pressure potential affect water movement?
A: Water moves from areas of higher water potential to lower water potential. Pressure potential contributes to the total water potential that drives this movement.
Q3: Can pressure potential be negative?
A: Yes, in xylem vessels under tension or in cells experiencing plasmolysis, pressure potential can be negative.
Q4: What's the relationship between pressure potential and turgor pressure?
A: In plant cells, pressure potential is essentially equivalent to turgor pressure, representing the physical pressure exerted by the cell wall against the cell contents.
Q5: How is pressure potential measured experimentally?
A: Pressure potential can be measured using pressure probes, pressure chambers, or calculated indirectly from water potential and solute potential measurements.