I'd be happy to help with that! When a plant cell is deprived of water, the plant starts wilting due to the loss of turgor pressure. Turgor pressure is the pressure of the cell contents against the cell wall in plant cells, and it helps maintain the cell's rigidity and structure.
Here's why wilting occurs when a plant cell loses turgor pressure:
1. Normally, when a plant cell is well-hydrated, it is turgid due to the water pushing against the cell wall.
2. When the plant cell is deprived of water, it loses this turgidity as water moves out of the cell through osmosis.
3. As a result, the cell becomes flaccid, and the plant wilts because it lacks the necessary turgor pressure to keep its structure upright and firm.
Therefore, the correct answer to the question is "loss of turgor pressure." This loss of turgor pressure leads to wilting in plants when they are deprived of water.
