in what way does the concept of water potential help in explaining water movement

Dear student.

Water potential can be said to be the tendency of water molecules to move from one place to another. The solution with less solute and more water has high water potential  and the solution with more solute and less water has low water potential. Through osmosis water moves from a region of high water potential to a region of low water potential till it becomes equal on both sides. Water potential is affected by two factors i.e pressure and solute concentration. 

For example, the water potential of the distilled water has the greatest potential to move than the water present in the cell say plant cell. So distilled water has high water potential and cell has low water potential.When the plant cell is placed in the distilled water, water will enter the cell and the cell contents will expand. This shows that water moves from its high potential to low potential.

Regards.

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Water potential helps us to study from where to where the water will move in plants i.e. from less negative to more negative.
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