Chapter 3 Study Questions

  1. List three unique properties of water that make it an ideal medium for cellular functioning, and explain how each property is useful to a plant.

    Textbook Reference: The Structure and Properties of Water, pp. 84–87

  2. Define and give an example of osmosis in a plant cell. What is the driving force for osmosis?

    Textbook Reference: Diffusion and Osmosis, pp. 88–89

  3. What is the importance of the water potential concept in plant physiology? What are the components of the water potential?

    Textbook Reference: Diffusion and Osmosis, pp. 89–91

  4. What is turgor pressure? Can plant cells have negative turgor pressure values? Is it possible to calculate the turgor pressure of a cell from water potential and osmotic potential values?

    Textbook Reference: Water Potential of Plant Cells, pp. 90–94

  5. How does water move across a largely hydrophobic plasma membrane?

    Textbook Reference: Cell Wall and Membrane Properties, p. 95

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