Learning outcome:

After attending this lecture, the student

should be able to:
1. Describe the soil-plant–atmosphere
continuum and explain the function of
water in plants.

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• Most growing plants contain 90% water.
• Major component of protoplasm- 80 -90% of actively
growing tissues
• As solvent that contain dissolved solutes and gases.
• As reagent and substrate used in photosynthesis and
other reaction
• As turgor maintenance necessary for cell elongation,
stomatal activity, and cell survival

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Physical Properties of Water
• Universal solvent due to higher polarity
• Polar-asymmetrical distribution of charge on molecule
--partial negative charge
--partial positive charge
• High hydrogen bonding
-OH group to form hydrogen bonding
• Cohesion- mutual attraction among water molecules
- produce surface tension
• Adhesion- attraction of water molecules to solid surfaces.
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1) Water molecule is polar
 A water molecule consists of two hydrogen
atoms and one oxygen atom attached at the
angle of 104.50.
O -
/ \ 104.50
+ H H +  = partical charge

 Each hydrogen atom shares a pair of

electrons with the oxygen atom to form two
covalent bonds (H-O-H).

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each water molecule has slightly
negative and slightly positive regions.

 As a consequence, the water molecule

is dipolar molecule.

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Because of water polarity, its physiological
roles are as follows :
 it provides a medium for reactions to
take place.
 it acts as a solvent for transport in the
blood of animals, or in xylem and phloem
of plants.

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• Movement of substance in and out of cells
1. diffusion
2. osmosis
3. active transport
• Water flows from region of high water potential to region
of low water potential.
• Changes in water potential (Yw ) can be brought about by
changes in pressure potential ( Yp) or changes in solute
potential (Ys )

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Because of water polarity, its physiological
roles are as follows :
 it provides a medium for reactions to
take place.
 it acts as a solvent for transport in the
blood of
animals, or in xylem and phloem of
plants.
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it acts as substrates for photolysis
during photosynthesis and hydrolysis
reactions during digestion of food.

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