Osmosis

Question 1

Water potential is..

Answer 1

A measure of the tendency of water molecules to diffuse from one place to another

Question 2

What is the water potential of pure water?

Answer 2

0 kPa (kilopascals)

Question 3

What happens if animal cells are put in pure water

Answer 3

Lots of water molecules enter, cell swells and bursts, this is called cytolysis

Question 4

What happens if an animal cell is put in concentrated solute solution

Answer 4

Lots of H2O molecules leave, cell shrivels, we call it cremated

Question 5

What happens if a plant cell is put in pure water

Answer 5

The strong cellulose cell wall prevents bursting, instead the pressure of water pushing on the cell wall will make the cell turgid

Question 6

What happens if a plant cell is put in concentrated solute solution

Answer 6

The cytoplasm will shrink and the membrane will begin to pull away from the cell wall. The cell is plasmolysed and the tissue is flaccid

Question 7

Deifinition of osmosis

Answer 7

Movement of water particles from an area of high conc to an area of low conc across a partially permeable membrane