Osmosis — Science definition

Defined in 3 courses:

Where it is taught

In use

When water moves across such a membrane from the side with more water to the side with less — that is, from the weaker solution to the stronger one — the movement has its own name, osmosis.

Membrane Transport, Diffusion & Osmosis

Water gets its own name for this: osmosis, the diffusion of water across a selectively permeable membrane.

Cellular Transport

Osmosis is net solvent movement across a selectively permeable barrier toward the side with lower solvent chemical potential, often the more concentrated solute side in a simple comparison.

Electrolytes & Colligative Properties

Questions using osmosis

Problem 1

What must be known before predicting osmosis?
Answer and explanation

Which materials can cross, their concentrations, and relevant pressure or other conditions; a membrane is not universally permeable.

Problem 2

Is movement of a dissolved particle always osmosis?
Answer and explanation

No. Osmosis describes net water movement across a selective membrane; other particles and processes require their own explanation.

Problem 3

What moves in the simple osmosis model?
  1. Only cell walls
  2. Water across the selective membrane
  3. Every solute equally
  4. Whole organ systems
Answer and explanation

Water across the selective membrane

Osmosis concerns net water movement across a selectively permeable membrane.

Problem 4

Osmosis is best defined as the diffusion of ___ across a selectively permeable membrane.
  1. protein
  2. water
  3. oxygen
  4. glucose
Answer and explanation

water

Osmosis specifically refers to the movement of water across a selectively permeable membrane toward the side with more solute.

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