What is osmosis?
Answer
Osmosis is the movement of water molecules from a region of higher water concentration to a region of lower water concentration through a semipermeable membrane.
The working
Definition
Osmosis is the net movement of solvent (water) molecules across a selectively permeable membrane from a dilute solution to a concentrated one.
Direction
Water moves from where its concentration is high (low solute) to where it is low (high solute) until concentrations become balanced.
Types of solutions
In a hypotonic solution a cell gains water and swells, in a hypertonic solution it loses water and shrinks, and in an isotonic solution there is no net change.
Importance
Osmosis is vital for the absorption of water by plant roots and for maintaining water balance in living cells.
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