Pre-requisite for imbibition is / are

Options

A. Water potential gradient between the absorbent and the liquid but not the affinity between absorbent and liquid
B. Affinity between absorbent and liquid but not water potential gradient between surface of absorbent and liquid.
C. Water potential gradient between the surface of absorbent and liquid as well as affinity between absorbent and liquid.
D. Wooden frame

Answer

### Step-by-Step Text Solution:

1. **Understanding Imbibition**: Imbibition is the process by which a solid (imbiband) absorbs water (imbibate). It is crucial to understand the terms involved:
- **Imbiband**: The solid that absorbs water, which must be hydrophilic (water-attracting).
- **Imbibate**: The water that is being absorbed.

2. **Prerequisites for Imbibition**:
- **Hydrophilicity of Imbiband**: The imbiband must be hydrophilic to ensure that it can easily bind with water. This means that the solid must have an affinity for water.
- **Porosity of Imbiband**: The imbiband should be porous. Porous materials contain air in their pores, allowing water to enter and replace the air. This is essential for the absorption process.

3. **Affinity Between Imbiband and Imbibate**: There must be a strong interaction or affinity between the imbiband and the imbibate. This means that the solid should be able to attract and hold onto water molecules.

4. **Water Potential Gradient**: There needs to be a water potential gradient between the imbiband and the imbibate. The imbiband should have a lower water potential compared to the water, which has a higher water potential. This gradient allows water to move into the solid.

5. **Conclusion**: The two main prerequisites for imbibition are:
- The imbiband must be hydrophilic (affinity).
- There must be a water potential gradient between the imbiband and the imbibate.