The process of uptake of water by the non-living substances is called as imbibition. The substance that imbibes water is called as imbibants. As a result of imbibition the water swells up the imbibing material and a pressure will be formed, this pressure is called as the imbibition pressure. Imbibition involves the process of movement of water down the water potential gradient. Imbibition is the first process that takes place during seed germination, so seed germination is an example for imbibition. Imbibition pressure leads to the germination of the seed which causes the rupturing of the testa, leading to the emergence of the embryo.
