Osmosis Flashcards
What is the definition of osmosis?
The diffusion of water from a dilute solution to a concentrated solution through a selectively permeable membrane.
What would your observations be for an onion cell in distilled water?
- regular shape
- large vacuole
- pushes cell membrane against cell wall
- TURGID!
What would your observations be for an onion cell in salt solution?
- irregular shape
- cell is smaller
- cell membrane is pulled away from the cell wall
- small vacuole
- less cytoplasm
- PLASMOLYSED!
What does the cell wall do in terms of osmosis?
Limits the uptake of water to stop the cell from bursting.
What happens if a plant loses to much water?
Plasmolysis occurs. (Cell shrinks)
What structure in a cell does Visking tube represent?
The selectively permeable membrane.
When looking at osmosis on a graph, where on the graph is the point where the concentration inside is the same to the concentration outside? What does this mean for the mass?
The point it crosses the x-axis. This is the point where there is no change in mass.
