Osmosis

• Osmosis


  A special case of diffusion, the passive movement of water particles from an area of higher water concentration to an area of lower water concentration
• Osmosis


  1. Water molecules pass through a semi-permeable membrane

  2. More water molecules on one side than the other

  3. Steady movement of water into the region with fewer water molecules (the stronger sugar solution)

  4. The water acts to equalise the concentration on either side of the membrane
• Osmosis is a type of diffusion
• Osmosis is the passive movement of water particles from an area of higher water concentration to an area of lower water concentration
• A semi-permeable membrane has very small holes that only allow water molecules to pass through
• Water molecules pass through the semi-permeable membrane during osmosis
• There are more water molecules on one side than the other during osmosis
• The water moves into the region with fewer water molecules (the stronger sugar solution) to equalise the concentration
• The net movement of water is from the area of higher water concentration to the area of lower water concentration
• If a piece of potato is added to a concentrated salt solution

  The potato will lose water through osmosis