What is solute potential?

Explanation

**Step-by-Step Text Solution:**

1. **Definition of Solute Potential**: Solute potential, also known as osmotic potential, is a measure of the potential energy of water in a solution due to the presence of solutes. It is one of the key components that make up water potential in plants.

2. **Effect of Solutes on Water**: When solutes are added to water, they interact with water molecules. This interaction reduces the amount of free energy available to the water molecules. As a result, the solute potential reflects this decrease in free energy.

3. **Pure Water Reference**: In pure water, where there are no solutes present, the solute potential is defined as 0. This serves as a baseline for measuring solute potential in other solutions.

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