Osmosis/Diffusion


Osmosis is the movement of molecules through a selectivly permeable membrane.
  • Osmosis aims to equalize solute concentrations on the two sides of the membranes.
  • The equalizing of solute concentrations is know as Diffusion.
Osmosis may occur when there is a semi-permeable membrane submerged in water, and the water molecules pass through the membrane from an area of low concentration to high concentration or vice versa.
  • Hypotonic Solutions occur when there is a higher amount of solute outside the cell that is moving into the cell.
  • A Hypertonic solution is having greater solute concentration inside the cell that is displacing outward of the cell.
  • Isotonic solution is when the cell is in equalibrium with its surrounding enviroment.
These are all forms of diffusion.
  • Facilitated diffusion is the transfering of molecules from either side through the membrane via protein channels.
external image images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT4lYTs6GutUR3TtzOCLvvi9BDVwNcqZbA8ZIgz39Yo95ao9zRW&t=1 external image osmosis.jpg