HELP ME PLEAS!!!! OSMOSIS AND DIFFUSION

[DMAN2011]

HI I NEED HELP ON THE DIFFRENCE BETWEEN OSMOSIS AND DIFFUSION. I AM A 9TH GRADER TAKEONG BIO AND NO MATTER HOW MANY DIFFRENT DEFFINITIONS I READ I STILL DO NOT UNDERSTAN IT COULD SOMEONE BREAK IT DOWN FOR ME PPPPLLLLEEEAAAASSSSEEEE!!!!!



THANKS, DEVONTE

[mith]

http://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/Osmosis

[Darwin420]

Osmosis - diffusion of solvent (for simplicity sakes let's say water) through cell membrane from a high concentration to low concentration untill there is equal concentration on either side (equilibrium).

Diffusion - same idea but molecules and particles traveling from high concentration through the membrane to low concentration until they are equal in concentration (equilibrium).

I know you are in grade 9 so those definitions may be confusing, I hope this somewhat watered down version makes sense.

Darwin

[MrMistery]

if you are higher than 9th grade, you may also want to take into consideration how the processes occur. Osmosis is a mix of simple diffusion of water(through the lipid bilayer) and facilitated diffusion of water(through water channels=acquaporins).
Diffusion may be either simple, facilitated, or a mix between the two, like in case of water(although this last possibility is rare).
Cheers