Osmosis

Question 1

What is the definition of osmosis?

Answer 1

the movement of water from a high water concentration to a low water concentration through a partially permeable membrane.

Question 2

What is a solute?

Answer 2

A substance dissolved in a solvent

Question 3

What is water potential?

Answer 3

The pressure exerted by water molecules as they collide with a membrane or container

Question 4

What is the symbol for water potential?

Answer 4

e

Question 5

What is water potential measured in?

Answer 5

pressure pascals or kilopascals

Question 6

What is the symbol for pressure pascals?

Answer 6

Pa

Question 7

What is the symbol for kilopascals?

Answer 7

KPa

Question 8

What is the water potential of pure water?

Answer 8

0

Question 9

How does adding more solutes affect the water potential?

Answer 9

It lowers the water potential value (below 0)

Question 10

What is the definition of hydrostatic pressure?

Answer 10

The pressure exerted by a fluid at equilibrium at a given point within the fluid

Question 11

What is hydrostatic pressure measured in?

Answer 11

kilopascals (KPa)

Question 12

What is the definition of cytolysis?

Answer 12

Cytolysis occurs when a cell bursts due to an osmotic imbalance that has caused excess water to diffuse into the cell.

Question 13

What condition would need to be present for a cell to undergo cytolysis?

Answer 13

The external environment of the cell must have a higher water potential than the cytoplasm of the cell. This will make the water diffuse into the cell via osmosis.

Question 14

What happens when a cell undergoes crenation?

Answer 14

crenation is the shrinkage of cells that occurs when the surrounding solution is hypertonic to the cellular cytoplasm. Water leaves the cells by osmosis, which causes the plasma membrane to wrinkle and the cellular contents to condense.

Question 15

What is the definition of turgid?

Answer 15

Latin word turgidus, meaning “swollen, inflated

Question 16

How does a plant cell become turgid?

Answer 16

When water enters the plant cell via osmosis the increased hydrostatic pressure pushes the membrane against the rigid wall. This prevents the entry of further water.

Question 17

What is the definition of plasmolysed?

Answer 17

The shrinking of the cytoplasm away from the cell wall of a plant due to water loss from osmosis.

Question 18

When does plasmolysed occur in a plant cell?

Answer 18

When the plant cell is placed in a solution with a lower water potential than inside of the plant cell.