Addition of salts and other solutes from other cells into xylem sap, __________ the water potential of the xylem sap

Explanation

Adding salts and other solutes makes the xylem sap more concentrated, which lowers its water potential. Water therefore has a greater tendency to move toward that solution by osmosis or along a water-potential gradient. Students may choose increases because more dissolved material means a larger numerical solute concentration, but water potential becomes more negative as solute concentration rises.