Question

Imbibition involves

• A. Solute potential
• B. Gravity potential
• C. Matric potential
• D. Pressure potential

Answer 1

Answer: (C)

Matric potential

Imbibition involves matric potential. The process of absorption of water by hydrophilic solid particles of a substance without forming a solution is called imbibition. It is a special type of diffusion, as water moves along its concentration gradient. Therefore, the water absorbed by solid substances or colloids results in an enormous increase in their volume. Matrix potential is the reduction in free energy of water due to the formation of thin immobile surface layers of water molecules over colloidal particles. In case of mature cells and hydrated cell wall, the effect of matrix potential is negligible. Matrix potential is represented by ${\psi }_m$.