A student set up a potometer to measure the rate of water uptake by a leafy shoot, and compared this with the rate of evaporation from a wet filter paper cylinder of identical surface area. Both setups were exposed to various environmental changes under controlled conditions.
Which of the statements, A to D, correctly describes the response of these two systems to the specified change in environmental conditions?
An increase in light intensity significantly increases the rate of water loss from the leafy shoot due to stomatal opening, while having a negligible effect on the wet filter paper under constant temperature.
An increase in wind speed increases the rate of water loss from the wet filter paper but decreases the rate of water loss from the leafy shoot.
An increase in relative humidity increases the rate of water loss in both systems by increasing the water potential (∥ψ∥\|\psi\|∥ψ∥) gradient between the surface and the air.
A decrease in temperature increases the rate of water loss in both systems because it decreases the density of water vapour in the surrounding air.
