A water column under tension.

What pulls a continuous water column upward?

Setting up the mechanism…

Driving potential after gravity: -0.048MPa
Selected vessel flow: 0.00µL/min

Vessel continuity: Continuous

Fit the specimen and set conditions before running.

What pulls a continuous water column upward?

Evaporation lowers leaf water potential. Cohesion transmits tension through a continuous xylem vessel. A gas interruption stops this vessel, while other vessels can still function.

Q = max(Ψsoil − Ψleaf − 0.00981 h, 0) / R

What this model simplifies

Single vessel Q=ΔΨ/R with R=0.1 MPa/(µL/min). Gravity costs 0.00981 MPa/m. Whole plants have many alternate vessels; root pressure omitted.

Read the source · openstax.org ↗

Put it to work.

Pull water up a ten-meter equivalent vessel without an embolism.

Make it work.

Pull water upward through a continuous vessel.

Run

Fine adjustments 4

Soil water potentialMPa

Leaf water potentialMPa

Equivalent vessel heightm

Gas embolism in this vessel

A water column under tension.

What pulls a continuous water column upward?

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Plants and agriculture

A water column under tension.

What pulls a continuous water column upward?

Setting up the mechanism…

Driving potential after gravity: -0.048MPa
Selected vessel flow: 0.00µL/min

Vessel continuity: Continuous

Fit the specimen and set conditions before running.

What pulls a continuous water column upward?

Evaporation lowers leaf water potential. Cohesion transmits tension through a continuous xylem vessel. A gas interruption stops this vessel, while other vessels can still function.

Q = max(Ψsoil − Ψleaf − 0.00981 h, 0) / R

What this model simplifies

Single vessel Q=ΔΨ/R with R=0.1 MPa/(µL/min). Gravity costs 0.00981 MPa/m. Whole plants have many alternate vessels; root pressure omitted.

Read the source · openstax.org ↗

Put it to work.

Pull water up a ten-meter equivalent vessel without an embolism.

Make it work.

Pull water upward through a continuous vessel.

Run

Fine adjustments 4

Soil water potentialMPa

Leaf water potentialMPa

Equivalent vessel heightm

Gas embolism in this vessel