Final answer:
Water movement through plant tissues and transpiration are driven by a gradient of water potential, influenced by various factors. Water moves from an area of higher water potential to an area of lower water potential, allowing it to be pulled up from the roots to the rest of the plant.
Step-by-step explanation:
Water movement from the soil, through plant tissues, and finally to the atmosphere through transpiration is driven by a gradient of water potential. Water potential is a measure of the difference in potential energy between a water sample and pure water. It is influenced by solute concentration, pressure, gravity, and matric potential. Water potential and transpiration influence how water is transported through the xylem in plants. When water moves from an area of higher water potential to an area of lower water potential, it can be pulled up from the roots to the rest of the plant.