What is the difference between water potential and osmotic potential?
Answer
575.4k+ views
Hint: The difference between water potential and osmotic potential depends upon the terms osmotic pressure, turgor pressure and diffusion pressure deficit. Osmotic pressure is the maximum turgor pressure that can develop in a cell. Turgor pressure is the actual pressure developed in a cell at a given time. The difference between osmotic pressure and turgor pressure is the diffusion pressure deficit.
Complete answer:
Note:
Water potential is represented by Greek letter Psi (Ψ) and is always less than zero or has negative values. It is equal but opposite in sign to the diffusion pressure deficit (D.P.D.). If a difference in water potential exists between two regions, the spontaneous downhill movement of water will take place, i.e., from the region of higher water potential to the region of lower water potential. Osmotic potential develops in both confined as well as in unconfined systems. The value is negative, though it is numerically equal to osmotic pressure.
Complete answer:
| S.No. | Water potential | Osmotic potential |
| 1. | Water potential is the measure of concentration of free water molecules, I.e., potential energy of the cell. | Osmotic potential is a measure of movement of water molecules from a region of lower solute concentration to higher solute concentration. |
| 2. | The movement of free water molecules is zero for pure water and negative for cells containing solutes. | Osmotic potential decreases with increase in solute concentration (since water molecules will be less free to move due to more solute molecules). |
| 3. | Water potential is the reduction in free energy of solvent in a system over its pure state. | It is a reduction in free energy of water due to a decrease in the number of water molecules per molal volume. |
Note:
Water potential is represented by Greek letter Psi (Ψ) and is always less than zero or has negative values. It is equal but opposite in sign to the diffusion pressure deficit (D.P.D.). If a difference in water potential exists between two regions, the spontaneous downhill movement of water will take place, i.e., from the region of higher water potential to the region of lower water potential. Osmotic potential develops in both confined as well as in unconfined systems. The value is negative, though it is numerically equal to osmotic pressure.
Recently Updated Pages
Difference Between Prokaryotic Cells and Eukaryotic Cells

If x a + bt + ct2 where x is in meters and t is in class 11 physics CBSE

A car covers the first half distance between two places class 11 physics CBSE

The resultant of two vectors overrightarrow P and overrightarrow class 11 physics CBSE

Find the value of cos 135 class 11 maths CBSE

A mass M is held in place by an applied force F and class 11 physics CBSE

Trending doubts
One Metric ton is equal to kg A 10000 B 1000 C 100 class 11 physics CBSE

Find the value of the expression given below sin 30circ class 11 maths CBSE

Draw a diagram of nephron and explain its structur class 11 biology CBSE

10 examples of friction in our daily life

Proton was discovered by A Thomson B Rutherford C Chadwick class 11 chemistry CBSE

Bond order ofO2 O2+ O2 and O22 is in order A O2 langle class 11 chemistry CBSE

