Osmosis

• What is osmosis?

  The diffusion of water from a dilute solution to a concentrated solution through a partially permeable membrane.
• What do dilute solutions contain?

  Contain a high concentration of water.
• What do concentrated solutions contain?

  Contain a low concentration of water.
• What do partially permeable membranes do?

  Allow some molecules to pass through but not ALL molecules, for example, only allowing water molecules through. Osmosis is the diffusion of water.
• What is cytoplasm like?

  The cytoplasm of cells is a relatively concentrated solution. It contains a relatively low concentration of water. If we place this cell in water, then osmosis will take place. Water will move by osmosis from outside the cell to inside the cell. In the case of an animal cell, the water moving in will cause the cell to expand and could even burst. If we placed an animal cell in a concentrated solution, then water will move out of the cell by osmosis and the cell will shrink.
• What would happen if we placed a plant cell in water?

  Then water will move into the cell by osmosis and the cell will expand. However, the cell wall prevents the plant cell from bursting like the animal cell could. Instead, the cell becomes swollen, or in other terms turgid.
• What would happen if we placed a plant cell in a concentrated solution?

  Then water moves out of the cell by osmosis, this causes the cell to shrink, or in other terms, the cell has become flaccid.