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Water Potential Component Sum

Add six supplied pressure-equivalent contributions to water potential and solve a missing contribution.

Formula & worked example
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Calculator inputs

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How to use this calculator

Enter the known values in the units shown. Results update as you type.
Where results are editable, change one to solve backwards. Lock a value to hold it fixed.
Use the worked example to check the method. Reset restores the starting fields.

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Inputs and results stay in this browser tab. Bookify does not upload or store the values you enter.

Formula and method

For osmotic −5 bar, pressure +2 bar, matric −1 bar and the other supplied components zero, total water potential is −4 bar.

Ψ_total = Ψ_osmotic + Ψ_hydrostatic + Ψ_pressure + Ψ_matric + Ψ_air + Ψ_gravity.

Worked example

Enter these known values and leave the other values blank.

Osmotic potential (Ψo): -5 bar
Separate hydrostatic term (if applicable): 0 bar
Pressure potential (Ψp): 2 bar
Matric potential (Ψm): -1 bar
Additional air-related term (avoid double counting): 0 bar
Gravitational potential (Ψg): 0 bar

Ψ: -4 bar

Assumptions and limitations

All terms share one pressure-equivalent reference state and compatible units. The tool adds supplied components; it does not derive them from concentration or height.
Standard plant-water models commonly use solute, pressure, matric and gravitational terms. The six-input accounting form also has hydrostatic and air terms.
Avoid counting hydrostatic pressure twice in both the hydrostatic and pressure entries, or air effects already included in your pressure reference. Use zero for omitted terms.
Signed components are allowed. Water movement depends on a difference in potential and hydraulic conditions, not one potential alone.

Common questions

Can a component be negative?

Yes. Solute and matric effects commonly lower potential relative to the chosen reference.

Why are there six terms?

This is a supplied-component accounting form. Enter each physical contribution only once.

References

The calculation equations, inverse formulas, units, and input rules were imported from this source. Bookify provides the interface and equation solver.

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