Osmosis

Question 1

What is Osmosis?

Answer 1

• Osmosis is the net movement of water molecules from an area of relatively high number of water molecules (low solute concentration) to an area of relatively low number of water molecules (high solute concentration), across a semi- permeable membrane, until equilibrium is established.
  
  • It’s a passive process
    
    • NOTE: CANNOT reference water concentration

Question 2

Types of osmosis

Answer 2

• Isotonic solution: equal concentration of ions in solution and cell
  - No net movement
• Hypertonic solution: Higher concentration of ions in solution than in cell.
  - Water moves out of cell
• Hypotonic solution: Lower concentration of ions in solution than in cell.
  - Water moves into cell

Question 3

Osmotic pressure

Answer 3

• Osmotic pressure is the pressure required to stop osmosis
• The higher the concentration of solute (ions) the higher the osmotic pressure