Osmosis and Diffusion

Front

What is osmosis?

Back

Osmosis is the movement of water molecules through a selectively permeable membrane from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration.

Front

What is diffusion?

Back

Diffusion is the process by which molecules spread from areas of high concentration to areas of low concentration until equilibrium is reached.

Front

What does isotonic mean?

Back

Isotonic refers to a solution that has the same concentration of solutes as another solution, resulting in no net movement of water.

Front

What is a hypertonic solution?

Back

A hypertonic solution has a higher concentration of solutes compared to another solution, causing water to move out of the cell.

Front

What is a hypotonic solution?

Back

A hypotonic solution has a lower concentration of solutes compared to another solution, causing water to move into the cell.

Front

What is equilibrium in the context of osmosis?

Back

Equilibrium is the state where the concentration of solutes is equal inside and outside the cell, resulting in no net movement of water.

Front

How does temperature affect diffusion?

Back

Higher temperatures increase the energy of molecules, leading to faster diffusion rates.

Front

What role do cell membranes play in osmosis and diffusion?

Back

Cell membranes are selectively permeable, allowing certain molecules to pass while blocking others, thus regulating osmosis and diffusion.

Front

What happens to a cell in a hypertonic solution?

Back

In a hypertonic solution, a cell loses water and may shrivel due to the higher concentration of solutes outside the cell.

Front

What happens to a cell in a hypotonic solution?

Back

In a hypotonic solution, a cell gains water and may swell or burst due to the lower concentration of solutes outside the cell.