AP Biology - Water Potential

Botanists use the term water potential when predicting the movement of water into and out of plant cells.
Remember, the movement of water across a semi-permeable membrane as it follows its own concentration
gradient is osmosis. But plants are a unique case because they have a cell wall which prevents a plant cell
from bursting if it takes on too much water. If a plant cell is placed in a hypotonic environment, it will take on
water UNTIL water pressure inside the cell builds up to a point that is cannot take on any more. This increase
in water pressure will actually push water molecules back out of the cell against water’s concentration
gradient until the amount of water moving in due to solute difference is equal to the water moving out due to
water pressure – this is a dynamic equilibrium.

Draw a picture of a plant cell in a hypotonic environment here. Use arrows to indicate the movement of water
AND the water pressure inside the cell:

Water potential is a measure of how likely water is to move from one location (for example, outside the cell)
to another (inside the cell). For example, in the case above, a plant cell is placed in a hypotonic solution.
Therefore, water potential is greater outside the cell than inside the cell because the water outside the cell
has the greater potential to move. Water potential values are useful because they allow us to predict the
direction of the flow of water. Remember that water flows from an area of high water potential to an area of
lower water potential. Label the areas of high water potential and low water potential in your drawing.

Water potential is made up of 2 parts – solute potential and pressure potential. Add both together to get the
total water potential. Note: we use the Greek letter “psi” or Ψ to represent water potential.

water potential = solute potential + pressure potential

Ψ = Ψp + Ψs

Let’s look at the 2 parts of the water potential equation:

Solute potential (Ψs) – Think of solute potential as the effect that solutes have on a solution’s overall water
potential. The greater the concentration of solute, the lower the water potential will be (an inverse
relationship). Think of it this way: if you place a plant cell in very salty water, water will leave the cell for the
environment. Water has a greater tendency to move OUT of the cell. Therefore, water potential was higher in
the cell than in the environment.
Draw a picture of this scenario here. Use arrows to show the direction water is moving and indicate the
relative water potentials of the cell and its environment:

Pressure potential (Ψp) – This is a direct relationship – physical pressure increases water potential. If you
have a syringe filled with water and you press down on the plunger (increasing pressure), water will leave the
syringe through the needle. Plant cells work the same way. If water pressure inside the cell increases, that
pressure will drive water back out of the cell. The cell wall will not break, but it is a little elastic and will bulge
outward. This is called turgor, and the pressure that causes turgor is called turgor pressure. Lack of turgor
is called wilting.

On to the math...The solute potential of a sucrose solution can be calculated using the following formula:
Ψs = -iCRT

● i = Ionization constant (for sucrose this is 1.0 because sucrose is a sugar and does not ionize in
water.) What would this be for NaCl? ________ What about MgCl2? ________

● C = Molar concentration

● R = Pressure constant (R = 0.0831 liter bars/mole °K)

● T = Temperature °K (273 + °C of solution)

The units of measure will cancel as shown in the following example:

If you have a 1.0 M sugar solution at 22 °C under standard atmospheric conditions
Ψs = -i x C x R x T
Ψs = -(1) (1.0 mole/liter) (R = 0.0831 liter bars/mole °K) (295 °K)
Ψs = - 24.51 bars

Knowing the solute potential of the solution (Ψs) and knowing that the pressure potential of the solution is
zero (Ψp= 0) allows you to calculate the water potential of the solution. The water potential will be equal to
the solute potential of the solution.
Ψ = Ψp + Ψs or Ψ = Ψs (if Ψp = 0)

Important Water Potential Reminders:

● Pure water has a water potential of zero.

 ● Solutes added to pure water decrease water potential – negative numbers.

● Pressure increases water potential.

Study Resources:

● University of Wisconsin Water Potential Tutorial – explains the parts of the water potential equation
and relates them to an example - http://ats.doit.wisc.edu/biology/pb/movies/SWF/t1_a2.swf

● NeoSci Water Potential Tutorial – simple explanation of pressure potential and solute potential -
http://www.neosci.com/demos/10-1041_cell%20processes/Presentation.html

● Bozeman Science Water Potential Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDZud2g1RVY

● Life 10th edition Water Potential Tutorial – shows impact of changes to water potential on plants -
http://www.life10e.com/at35.01.html

● Prentice Hall LabBench AP Osmosis Lab – tutorial on the “old” version of this AP lab -
http://www.phschool.com/science/biology_place/labbench/lab1/intro.html

● Bozeman Science Diffusion and Osmosis Lab Video – discussion of how to interpret the results of your
potato lab - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeS2-6zHn6M
Practice Problems Set 1 – Calculating Water Potential

1. If a cell’s Ψp = 3 bars and its Ψs = -4.0 bars, what is the resulting Ψ?

2. The solute concentration of an apple cell is 0.4 M. What is its water potential at room temperature
(20oC) and normal atmospheric pressure?

3. What is the water potential of the cell in #2 if Ψp = 3.5 bars?

4. What is the solute potential of a 0.5 M sucrose solution at room temperature?

5. What is the solute potential of a 0.5 M NaCl solution at room temperature?

6. CHALLENGE – If a plant cell with Ψs = -7.5 bars keeps a constant volume when immersed in an open
beaker that has a Ψs = -4 bars, what is the cell’s Ψp?

Practice Problems Set 2 – Interpreting Water Potential Values

Water potential values are useful because they allow us to predict the direction of the flow of water.
Remember that water flows from an area of high water potential to an area of lower water potential.

1. The water potential of pure water is ______________. The solute potential of a plant cell is
(greater/less) than pure water. Therefore the greater water potential is (in the cell/in the solution).
2. If solute potential in the plant cell above is -6.25 bars and pressure potential is 0, what is the water
potential of the plant cell? What does this indicate in terms of water movement?
3. If solute potential in the plant cell is -6.25 bars and pressure potential is 6.25 bars, what is the water
potential of the plant cell? What does this indicate in terms of water movement?

4. A plant cell has a solute potential of -4.0 bars and a pressure potential of 1.0 bar. It is then placed in a
solution with a water potential of -5.0 bars. What will happen to the plant cell?
 5. A student calculates that the water potential of a solution in a dialysis bag is equal to -6.25 bars (Ψs
= -6.25, Ψp= 0). The water potential of a solution surrounding the bag is -3.25 bars (Ψs = -3.25, Ψp=
0). In which direction will water flow? Justify your answer.

6. If a plant cell’s water potential is lower than its surrounding environment and if pressure is equal to
zero, is the cell hypertonic (in terms of solute concentration) or hypotonic to its environment? Will the
cell gain or lose water? Justify your answer.

Practice Problems Set 3 – Lab Based Questions

1. Water potential in potato cells was determined in the following manner. The initial masses of the six
groups of potato cores were measured. The potato cores were placed in sucrose solutions of various
molarities. The masses of the cores were measured again after 24 hours. Percent changes in mass
were calculated. The results are shown below.

Molarity of Sucrose in Percent Change in

Beaker (M) Mass
0.0 19.0
0.2 5.0
0.4 -8.0
0.6 -16.0
0.8 -23.5
1.0 -24.0

Graph these data. From your graph, label where the cells were hypotonic and the solution was
hypertonic, and vice versa. Determine the apparent molar concentration of the potato cells. What is the
water potential of the potato cells? (Assume room temperature of 20 oC and standard air pressure.)
 2. If yam cores were placed in a salt (NaCl) solution at 22 °C for 24 hours and the molar concentration is
determined to be 0.34 M, calculate the water potential.

Practice Problems Set 4 – The Osmosis and Water Potential Concept

1. The initial molar concentration of the cytoplasm inside a plant cell is 1.3 M and the cell is placed in a
solution with a concentration of 0.1 M. Identify the following statements as true, false, or not enough
information. If false, rewrite the statement to make it true. If not enough information, identify what
information is needed.
a. The cell could already be in equilibrium with the surrounding solution.
b. If the cell is already in equilibrium with its surroundings, there would be pressure potential
inside the cell.
c. If the cell is initially flaccid, there will be a net gain of turgor during osmosis.
d. If the cell is initially flaccid, diffusion will proceed until solute potential inside the cell equals
solute potential outside the cell.
e. At equilibrium, the cytoplasm and the surrounding solution will be isotonic.
f. At equilibrium, water potential inside and outside the cell will be equal.
g. If the cell is initially flaccid, the molarity of the cytoplasm will increase during osmosis.
h. If the cell is initially flaccid, then both solute potential and pressure potential inside the cell will
increase during osmosis.
Practice Problems Set 5 – Challenge Questions

1. The value for Ψ in root tissue was found to be -3.3 bars. If you take the root tissue and place it in
0.1 M solution of sucrose at 20oC in an open beaker, what is the Ψ of the solution, and in which
direction would the net flow of water be?
2. If the solution in #1 contained 0.1 M NaCl instead of 0.1 M sucrose, what is the Ψ of the solution and
what would the net flow of water be?

3. A plant cell with a Ψs of -7.5 bars keeps a constant volume when immersed in an open beaker solution
that has a Ψs of -4 bars. What is the cell’s Ψp?

4. At 20oC, a cell containing 0.6 M glucose is in equilibrium with its surrounding solution containing 0.5 M
glucose in an open container. What is the cell’s Ψp?

5. At 20oC, a cell with Ψp of 3 bars is in equilibrium with the surrounding 0.4 M solution of sucrose in an
open beaker. What is the molar concentration of sucrose in the cell?