osmosis Flashcards
what is osmosis?
the movement of water molecules across a partially permeable membrane from a place with high water concentration to a low water concentration
what is a partially permeable membrane?
a membrane with very small holes in it, so small that only tiny particles like water can pass through them
how can water molecules move?
they can move pass both ways through the membrane because water molecules move about randomly all the time
what happens when there are more water molecules on one side then the other?
it creates a steady net flow of water into the region with fewer water molecules into a stronger sugar solution
what does making a stronger sugar solution mean?
the strong sugar solution gets more dilute, the water acts like its trying to ‘even up’ the concentration either side of the membrane
what is osmosis like?
osmosis is a type of diffusion- passive movement of water particles from an area of a higher water concentration to an area of low water concentration.
