osmosis

[jaid]

i need help i need to know how does surface area effect osmosis i know increasing it will increase osmosis but i need to explain it more scienfically email me at @hotmail.com if any clue?? thanx

[thank.darwin]

Osmosis is the diffusion of water over a cell membrane... the more surface area the more chances there is of water coming in contact with the cell membrane and passing through it - water is constantly moving - Random molecular movement. Does that help - I can go into it more or give you a site or two to look at?

[robotics]

You can think of osmosis as a form of diffusion that involves water over a semi permeable membrane. But this it means that it allows only certain molecules to pass through the PM.

The reason for increasing surface area resulting in an increase in diffusion rate is really quite simple, more contact between the different environments where the gradient exists. If you turn on the heater in your room, the temperature rises in it, while the outside remains at its respective relative room temperature. If you want to keep your room warm you close your door, so that you minimize the SA between external and internal environments. Less SA, lower rate of heat exchange, your room stays warmer longer.

Same basic principle with osmosis

[thank.darwin]

Thank-you for making that clearer robotics

[robotics]

No problem thanks for having me.

[Jimmy]

I just think it is important to precise that osmosis can increase if the ratio surface area /volume increases. Talking about the surface area only is not enough.

[biostudent84]

I just think it is important to precise that osmosis can increase if the ratio surface area /volume increases. Talking about the surface area only is not enough.

I agree. The total water osmosing (is that a word?) increases as a cell grows. However, the ratio of cell surface area to cell volume decreases. When this variable is considered, rate of osmosis goes DOWN for individual cell parts.

Hmm....I'll put that in English....err, after my class, I hope. Unless someone else beats me to it...

Off to Intro to Life Sciences class! The most ludicrous class ever invented...it's true!
Kyle

[MrMistery]

As i see it, the surface area affects only the speed of the process. Think of it like this: 100 people enter a room faster if there are more doors, but at the end there are still 100 people. Hope it's clear

[MrMistery]

If the volume changes then the story changes. Osmosis is basically like this: if there is a concentration difference between the inside and ouside of the cell water travels in either way to equalise the concentration. At the same number of mineral and organic substances if the voulme increases that means more water so osmosis changes

[beaconitesrock]

As i see it, the surface area affects only the speed of the process. Think of it like this: 100 people enter a room faster if there are more doors, but at the end there are still 100 people. Hope it's clear

this was a good one.keeep on sending stufff like this and it'll help students like US.it made stuff more clear even though i had to use up my brain a bit. hehe