Water potential decreases with increasing solute concentration across cells Steps: - Identify water potential (ψ) as the tendency of water to move, determined by solute potential (ψ_s, more negative with higher solutes) and pressure potential (ψ_p). - Examine cell 1: low solute concentration, high ψ (less negative ψ_s, positive ψ_p if turgid). - Examine cell 2: highest solute concentration, lowest ψ (most negative ψ_s, zero or negative ψ_p if flaccid/plasmolyzed). - Examine cell 3: moderate solute concentration, higher ψ than cell 2 but lower than cell 1 (ψ_s less negative than 2, ψ_p variable). Why C is correct: - Cell 2 has the lowest ψ due to highest internal solute load, making ψ lower than both 1 (highest ψ) and 3 (intermediate ψ), per ψ = ψ_s + ψ_p formula. Why the others are wrong: - A: Cell 2 does not have higher ψ than either; it has the lowest. - B: Cell 2 is not higher than 1; its ψ is lower. - D: Cell 2 is not higher than 3; its ψ is lower than 3. Final answer: …