What is osmosis?

What is osmosis?

Osmosis is the movement of a solvent, such as water, through a semi-permeable membrane from a region of lower solute concentration to a region of higher solute concentration. The solvent moves to try to equalize the solute concentration on both sides of the membrane.

Osmosis in biology

Osmosis is a natural process that occurs in living cells and helps to maintain their balance of water and other substances. It is an important aspect of the functioning of cells, as it helps to regulate the amount of water inside and outside of the cell.

For example, if a cell is placed in a solution that has a higher concentration of solutes than the cell, the solvent (water) will move out of the cell in an attempt to dilute the solute concentration. This can cause the cell to shrink or become dehydrated. On the other hand, if a cell is placed in a solution that has a lower concentration of solutes than the cell, the solvent will move into the cell in an attempt to equalize the solute concentration. This can cause the cell to swell or become overhydrated.

Osmosis is a passive process, which means that it does not require any energy input. It is driven by the natural tendency of substances to move from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration in order to achieve equilibrium.

Osmosis Definition | Osmosis Meaning

Osmosis is the movement of a solvent, such as water, through a semipermeable membrane (a membrane that allows some substances to pass through but not others) from a less concentrated solution to a more concentrated solution in order to equalize the concentration of solute in both sides of the membrane.

In other words, osmosis is the process by which water moves across a membrane in order to balance the concentration of dissolved particles on either side of the membrane. Osmosis occurs because water naturally flows from areas of low solute concentration to areas of high solute concentration in order to equalize the concentration of solute on both sides of the membrane.

Osmosis is an important process that occurs in many biological systems, including the human body. It is used by cells to maintain a proper balance of water and dissolved substances, and it is also used by plants to absorb water and nutrients from the soil. Osmosis is also used in various industrial and scientific applications, such as the purification of water and the production of medications.