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Dictionary » O » Osmosis OsmosisDefinition noun 1. Diffusion of a solvent (usually water molecules) through a semipermeable membrane from an area of low solute concentration to an area of high solute concentration. 2. Net movement of water molecules through a semipermeable membrane from an area of higher water potential to an area of lower water potential. 3. Tendency of water to flow from a hypotonic solution (low concentration of dissolved substances) to hypertonic solution (higher concentration of dissolved substances) across a semipermeable membrane
In biological systems, osmosis is essential since many biological membranes are semipermeable, and it leads to different physiological effects. For example, when an animal cell is exposed to a hypertonic surrounding (or lower water concentration) the water will leave the cell causing the cell to shrink. When an animal cell is placed in a hypotonic surrounding (or higher water concentration), the water molecules will move into the cell causing the cell to swell. If osmosis continues and becomes excessive the cell will eventually burst. In a plant cell, excessive osmosis is prevented due to the osmotic pressure exerted by the cell wall thereby stabilizing the cell. In fact, osmotic pressure is the main cause of support in plants. However, if a plant cell is placed in a hypertonic surrounding, the cell wall cannot prevent the cell from losing water. It results in cell shrinking (or cell becoming flaccid).
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Results from our forumAntibiotic effect... daughter cells need to make new cell walls, and if they cannot (because the presence of one of these antibiotics) then water rushes in the cell by osmosis, the cell swells and bursts. So it is not true that these antibiotics only stop the bacteria from spreading and wait for the immune system to ...
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Osmosis and Diffusion... Keep it expanded..i.e make sure it is not folded. Add a couple of drops of salt solution..say 10% potassium nitrate. You get result instantly. Exosmosis will take place. Demonstrate and then wash with pure water to show osmosis or end-osmosis. Now water moves into the cells. So with just a couple ...
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Osmosis and DiffusionDear Community, Please could someone describe an experiment to show Osmosis and Diffusion on LIVING organisms. (I have experiments for non-living organisms - but my syllabus also requires that I know some experiments for living ones as well)
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Re: Hypotonic/Isotonic Solution Question? Osmosis is the diffusion of water through a semi-permeable membrane, from a low concentrate solution (high water potential) to a highly concentrated solution (low water potential), up a solute concentration gradient. [...] ...
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Tonicity Explanation... so the water there is in lower concentration. This makes water diffuse into areas with more solute (higher tonicity). That's the process behind osmosis.
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