If the water potential of a cell become zero, it is said to be in :

Options

A. Fully turgid state
B. Flaccid state
C. Incipiently plasmolysed state
D. Completely plasmolysed state

Answer

To determine the state of a cell when its water potential becomes zero, we can analyze the options provided:

1. **Understanding Water Potential**: Water potential (Ψ) is a measure of the potential energy of water in a system. It is influenced by solute potential (Ψs) and pressure potential (Ψp). When water potential is zero, it indicates that the cell is at equilibrium with its environment and cannot absorb more water.

2. **Evaluating the Options**:
- **Option 1: Fully Turgid State**: When a cell is fully turgid, it means it has absorbed water to the point where the pressure inside the cell (turgor pressure) is equal to the pressure exerted by the cell wall. In this state, the water potential is indeed zero because the osmotic pressure equals the turgor pressure.
- **Option 2: Flaccid State**: A flaccid cell has lost water and has low turgor pressure. In this state, the water potential is negative, not zero.
- **Option 3: Incipiently Plasmalized State**: This state occurs when a cell is beginning to lose water and the plasma membrane starts to pull away from the cell wall. The water potential is also negative here.
- **Option 4: Completely Plasmolyzed State**: In this state, the cell has lost a significant amount of water, and the plasma membrane is completely detached from the cell wall. The water potential is negative in this condition as well.

3. **Conclusion**: The only state where the water potential of a cell is zero is when it is fully turgid. Therefore, the correct answer is **Option 1: Fully Turgid State**.