As an undergraduate research assistant your duties involve measuring water potential in experimental soil-plant-atmosphere systems. Assume you make a series of measurements in a system under normal daylight conditions, with stomata open and photosynthesis occurring. Which of the following correctly depicts the trend your measurement data should follow if the cohesion-tension mechanism is operating?
a. soil < roots = leaves < atmosphere
b. atmosphere = leaves = roots < soil
c. soil < roots < leaves < atmosphere
d. atmosphere < leaves < roots < soil