Osmosis is a Special Case of Diffusion

Question 1

What is osmosis?

Answer 1

The net movement of water molecules across a partially permeable membrane from a region of higher water concentration to a region of lower water concentration

Question 2

What is a partially permeable membrane?

Answer 2

Just one with very small holes in it

Question 3

What kind of molecules can go through?

Answer 3

Small ones (e,g water) not large (e.g sucrose)

Question 4

Which ways do water molecules pass and why?

Answer 4

Both ways because water molecules move about randomly all the time

Question 5

What happens when there are more water molecules on one side than the other?

Answer 5

There’s a steady net flow of water into the region with fewer water molecules

Question 6

What does this mean for the sucrose solution?

Answer 6

It gets more dilute

Question 7

What does the water act like it’s trying to do?

Answer 7

‘Even up’ the concentration either side of the membrane