A lily plant is positioned near a heating duct that has just been turned on.
Over time, it is likely that

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Higher air temperature raises the air’s capacity to hold water vapor, lowering the local water potential (making it more negative) and driving more evaporation from the leaves.

1) Relevant knowledge points and concepts
- Water potential (ψ) governs the direction of water movement: water moves from regions of higher (less negative) ψ to lower (more negative) ψ.
- Air’s water potential depends on its vapor pressure (relative humidity and temperature). Warm air has a higher saturation vapor pressure, so if humidity does not rise equally the air’s ψ becomes more negative.
- Transpiration is evaporation of water from leaf surfaces; it increases when the air can accept more water vapor (i.e., when air ψ decreases).

2) Step-by-step reasoning
- The heating duct raises the temperature of the air around the plant.
- Increased temperature increases the saturation vapor pressure of water; unless humidity increases proportionally, relative humidity drops and the air’s actual vapor pressure is lower relative to saturation.
- Lower relative humidity / higher temperature makes the air’s water potential more negative (ψ_air decreases).
- Because ψ_leaf > ψ_air (leaf water potential is less negative than the warmed air), water moves out of the leaf into the air, increasing transpiration.

3) Calculations / intermediate steps
- No numeric values given; conceptually: ψ_air ∝ ln(p_vapor/p_sat) so increasing temperature increases p_sat and with fixed p_vapor the ratio decreases → ψ_air becomes more negative. This explains qualitatively why ψ_air decreases.

4) Why the correct answer is correct
- The statement “the water potential in the air surrounding the leaves will decrease” directly describes the physical effect of warming the air: its capacity to hold vapor increases and its effective water potential becomes more negative, promoting evaporation.

5) Why other choices are incorrect
- “Transpiration will increase because root cells loose water.” Transpiration increases, but saying it increases because root cells lose water reverses cause and effect; transpiration causes tension that can draw water from roots, not the other way round in this immediate context. Also phrasing is inaccurate.
- “The hot air will cause the plant to store more water to prevent dehydration.” Plants cannot instantly “store more water”; they may close stomata or wilt, but they do not actively increase water storage as an immediate response.
- “The hot air from the vent will reduce water loss.” Incorrect: warmer, drier air increases water loss, not reduce it.

6) Conclusion
These points confirm the correct answer: the water potential in the air surrounding the leaves will decrease.

A lily plant is positioned near a heating duct that has just been turned on. Over time, it is likely thatSingle choice

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