Osmosis

Definition

Osmosis is the spontaneous movement of water molecules across a semi-permeable membrane from a region of lower solute concentration (higher water concentration) to a region of higher solute concentration (lower water concentration). This process is driven by the difference in water concentration, or water potential, across the membrane.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Osmosis is a passive transport process that does not require the input of energy, unlike active transport processes.
2. The rate of osmosis is affected by factors such as the concentration gradient, the permeability of the membrane, and the temperature.
3. Osmosis plays a crucial role in the regulation of water balance in living organisms, such as maintaining cell volume and the movement of water across cell membranes.
4. Hypotonic solutions have a lower solute concentration than the cell or environment, leading to water moving into the cell and potentially causing it to swell or burst.
5. Hypertonic solutions have a higher solute concentration than the cell or environment, leading to water moving out of the cell and potentially causing it to shrink or dehydrate.

Review Questions

• Explain how the concentration gradient drives the process of osmosis and describe the factors that affect the rate of osmosis.
  • The concentration gradient, or the difference in solute concentration across a semipermeable membrane, is the driving force for osmosis. Water molecules will spontaneously move from the region of higher water concentration (lower solute concentration) to the region of lower water concentration (higher solute concentration) to equalize the water potential on both sides of the membrane. The rate of osmosis is affected by factors such as the magnitude of the concentration gradient, the permeability of the membrane to water molecules, and the temperature, which influences the kinetic energy and mobility of the water molecules.
• Discuss the importance of osmosis in the regulation of water balance in living organisms and the consequences of cells being exposed to hypotonic or hypertonic solutions.
  • Osmosis is crucial for the regulation of water balance in living organisms. It allows for the movement of water across cell membranes, which is essential for maintaining proper cell volume and homeostasis. When a cell is exposed to a hypotonic solution (lower solute concentration than the cell), water will move into the cell, causing it to swell and potentially burst. Conversely, when a cell is exposed to a hypertonic solution (higher solute concentration than the cell), water will move out of the cell, causing it to shrink and potentially dehydrate. Maintaining the appropriate balance of solutes and water is essential for the proper functioning of cells and organisms.
• Analyze the relationship between osmosis and the other molecular transport phenomena discussed in the chapter, such as diffusion, and explain how they work together to facilitate the movement of substances in living systems.
  • Osmosis is closely related to the process of diffusion, as both involve the spontaneous movement of molecules from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration. However, while diffusion involves the movement of solute molecules, osmosis specifically describes the movement of water molecules across a semipermeable membrane. These two transport phenomena work together to facilitate the movement of various substances in living systems. Diffusion allows for the movement of solutes, such as nutrients and waste products, across cell membranes, while osmosis regulates the movement of water to maintain the appropriate water balance and cellular homeostasis. The interplay between these processes is essential for the proper functioning of cells, tissues, and organisms as a whole.

Related terms

Diffusion: The spontaneous movement of molecules or particles from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration, driven by the random thermal motion of the molecules.

Tonicity: The relative concentration of solutes on opposite sides of a semi-permeable membrane, which determines the direction of water movement through osmosis.

Semipermeable Membrane: A membrane that allows the passage of certain molecules, such as water, while restricting the passage of other molecules, such as solutes.