B2.1.2 - Osmosis

Question 1

What is osmosis?

Answer 1

It is the net movement of water molecules from a high water potential to a low water potential

Question 2

What is water potential?

Answer 2

The concentration of free water molecules

Question 3

The more concentrated a solution becomes…

Answer 3

the lower the water potential

Question 4

What happens to a cell if it is placed into a dilute solution?

Answer 4

In plant cells, It takes up water by osmosis. The pressure in the cell increases. This is called turgor pressure. The cell becomes firm and rigid. In animal cells, it starts to swell and may burst which is called lysis

Question 5

What happens to a cell placed into a solution with the same concentration as its contents?

Answer 5

There is no net movement of water and the cell remains the same

Question 6

What happens to a cell placed into a solution where it’s surroundings are more concentrated?

Answer 6

In plant cells, it will lose water by osmosis and the turgor pressure falls. The cell then becomes flaccid(soft). Eventually all the cell contents collapse away from the cell wall. In animal cells, the cell crinkles.