Answer to Question #83453 in Biochemistry for Sarah

Question

What is meant by water potential in simple terms?

Answer 1

This is the difference between the chemical potential of pure water (negative) and the chemical potential of water in solution (negative), chemical potential due to the presence of various impurities with their concentration.

Also it is the force that causes osmosis in biological systems, in particular, in cells. Under its influence, water tends to penetrate the boundary separating solutions of different concentrations; force which is aimed at reducing the concentration of substances in the solution.