Two methods of estimating the water potential of plant tissue are described. Method 1: Pieces of tissue are left in sucrose solutions of different concentrations. The percentage change in mass of the tissue is determined. Method 2: Pieces of tissue are left in sucrose solutions of different concentrations. The change in the density of the solutions in which the pieces of tissue have been left is estimated. A student compared the use of method 1 with method 2 to estimate the water potential of tissue in the fruit wall of red pepper, Capsicum annum. Fig. 1.1 shows a red pepper fruit and a labelled longitudinal section of the same fruit. [Figure 1.1] The student first used method 1. • Pieces of the red pepper fruit wall tissue of known mass were prepared. • These pieces of tissue were placed in solutions of different sucrose concentration. • The change in mass of the tissue after a period of time was calculated.