The Student Room Group

osmosis?

can somebody please explain osmosis in a really clear and simple way ?
Reply 1
Its basically the movement of water across a semi permeable membrane. So say you had two cups of squash one was super strong the other was really weak and you some how put the cups either side of a semi permeable membrane then water molecules from the weaker cup would move through the membrane into the stronger cup with the aim of diluting the stronger cup. The aim is to have either side of the membrane at equal concentration.

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Reply 2
Original post by Salwachemi
can somebody please explain osmosis in a really clear and simple way ?


Movement of water molecules from an area where there's a high number of water molecules to an area where there's a lower number of water molecules through something (a membrane) with gaps small enough to allow water molecules and certain other ions and molecules to pass through it.

Classic definition is - movement of water from area of high concentration to area of low concentration through a partially permeable membrane.
Reply 3
oh thank you ever so much but the part i am struggling with is can you give me some or one everyday examples so at least i can picture it or understand it like what kind of question will i be asked about it!?
Original post by r_98
Movement of water molecules from an area where there's a high number of water molecules to an area where there's a lower number of water molecules through something (a membrane) with gaps small enough to allow water molecules and certain other ions and molecules to pass through it.

Classic definition is - movement of water from area of high concentration to area of low concentration through a partially permeable membrane.
Reply 4
Original post by Salwachemi
oh thank you ever so much but the part i am struggling with is can you give me some or one everyday examples so at least i can picture it or understand it like what kind of question will i be asked about it!?


Watch this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aubZU0iWtgI

He explains stuff really well
do you know what diffusion is?
gas molecules diffuse from an area where there is a high concentration of the gas to a low concentration (down a concentration gradient)

osmosis is diffusion of water molecules - that's all
also osmosis happens across a membrane: partially permeable membrane because the water molecules need to be able to pass through so it has to be partially permeable otherwise nothing would be able to cross it.

an example: imagine the inside and outside of a cell. the plasma membrane of the cell counts as the partially permeable membrane - water moves across this membrane - if there is more water outside of the cell then water will move into the cell "by osmosis" and if there is more water inside of the cell water will move out of the cell "by osmosis"

(water does this to try and balance out the amount of water on either side of the membrane)

the kind of questions you're likely to be asked that I can think of atm
(a) define osmosis
(b) hypertonic, hypotonic, isotonic solutions
(c) whether osmosis is active or passive
(d) random visking tubing experiment
(edited 8 years ago)
Reply 6
basically

if you have more water on one side
and less water on another side
and a barrier in the middle that's semi permeable
then water will move from the side with loads of water, to the side with less water until there's equal amounts of water on both sides
Reply 7
Original post by alkaline.
do you know what diffusion is?
gas molecules diffuse from an area where this is a high concentration of the gas to a low concentration (down a concentration gradient)

osmosis is diffusion of water molecules - that's all
also osmosis happens across a membrane: partially permeable membrane because the water molecules need to be able to pass through so it has to be partially permeable otherwise nothing would be able to cross it.

an example: imagine the inside and outside of a cell. the plasma membrane of the cell counts as the partially permeable membrane - water moves across this membrane - if there is more water outside of the cell then water will move into the cell "by osmosis" and if there is more water inside of the cell water will move out of the cell "by osmosis"

the kind of questions you're likely to be asked that I can think of atm
(a) define osmosis
(b) hypertonic, hypotonic, isotonic solutions
(c) whether osmosis is active or passive
(d) random visking tubing experiment

for real i am so happy that you have put effort into explaining this i really understand it a whole lot better now and i am so thankful ^-^ x
Reply 8
Original post by z33
basically

if you have more water on one side
and less water on another side
and a barrier in the middle that's semi permeable
then water will move from the side with loads of water, to the side with less water until there's equal amounts of water on both sides


thank you so much for helping hehe ^-^
Reply 9
Original post by Salwachemi
thank you so much for helping hehe ^-^


np ... :smile:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaZ8MtF3C6M - my teacher showed our class this, and i got it :biggrin:
Original post by booksandcats
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaZ8MtF3C6M - my teacher showed our class this, and i got it :biggrin:


LOOOOOOOOOOOL oh my god this was super funny and i understood a lot better thankx xx i really do not know what the issue is though i'ts one of those things that i try to understand which is something i'm usually very good at doing but i just can't seem to..!
Original post by Salwachemi
LOOOOOOOOOOOL oh my god this was super funny and i understood a lot better thankx xx i really do not know what the issue is though i'ts one of those things that i try to understand which is something i'm usually very good at doing but i just can't seem to..!

ikr, i'm glad you get it but i usually find it more intersting watching weird stuff like that and it actually kinda helps. :biggrin:

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