High School

Which is the driest soil condition?

A. 50 kPa
B. 5 kPa
C. 0 kPa
D. -5 kPa
E. -50 kPa

Answer :

Final answer:

The driest soil condition is represented by the value with the highest negative potential, which is -50 kPa. This option signifies significant soil dryness, making water extraction by plants more challenging, and can lead to drought responses in plants such as stomata closure.

Explanation:

The student has asked about the driest soil condition based on the given values of soil water potential. Soil water potential is a measure of the potential energy of water in the soil and can be either positive or negative. The higher the negative value, the drier the soil, as it indicates the amount of suction pressure required to extract water.

Among the given options, a water potential of -50 kPa represents the driest soil condition. This is because water potential decreases as the soil dries out, leading to more negative values.

Therefore, the correct option is e) -50 kPa. This value indicates the soil is under a significant amount of tension, making it difficult for plants to extract water, leading to drought-like conditions where plants may close their stomata to conserve water.

Learn more about Soil Water Potential here:

https://brainly.com/question/13501919

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