Osmosis

Osmosis

Osmosis is the process by which molecules of a solvent pass through a semipermeable membrane from an area of low concentration to high concentration. It is diffusion of water through a memrane. This process is important in biology because it is how water passes through a membrane. If a cell is kept in a low concentration of salt and the concenetration of the salt outside of the cell is high then the cells will use osmosis and diffuse outside the cell. This means that the cell moves from a high conccentration to a low concentration. 

Osmosis put simply

• Osmois is only the movement of water, not gases or minerals. 

• Osmosis is the movement of water through a cell membrane

• Water moves from a region of high concentration to an area of low concentration

• Plants don't drink water - they absorb it through osmosis. 

Why is osmosis important?

• Osmosis is the only way that needed water and minerals can pass in and out of the cell. 

• All living organisms need nutrients and minerals, and osmosis is the only way that these can pass in and out of the cell.

Is there only 1 type of osmosis?

No, there are actually 3 different types of osmosis. These are hypotonic, hypertonic and isotonic. Isotonic means that it moves in and out of the cell at an equal rate. Hypotonic means that water moves in and out of the cell, making it swell up, and get fat. If a cell is in a hypertonic solution, the solution has a lower water concentration than the cell cytosol, and water moves out of the cell until both solutions are isotonic.