Osmosis Review

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 does isotonic mean?

Back

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

Front

What happens to a cell in a hypotonic solution?

Back

In a hypotonic solution, water enters the cell, causing it to swell and potentially burst due to increased internal pressure.

Front

What is a hypertonic solution?

Back

A hypertonic solution has a higher solute concentration compared to another solution, leading to water moving out of the cell.

Front

Why can't humans drink salt water?

Back

Humans cannot drink salt water because it is hypertonic to our cells, causing water to leave the cells and leading to dehydration.

Front

What role does the cell membrane play in osmosis?

Back

The cell membrane regulates the movement of water and solutes in and out of the cell, allowing for osmosis to occur.

Front

What is the effect of salting a slug?

Back

Salting a slug creates a hypertonic environment outside the slug, causing water to move out of the slug and leading to dehydration.

Front

Define selectively permeable membrane.

Back

A selectively permeable membrane allows certain molecules to pass through while blocking others, crucial for processes like osmosis.

Front

What is the process of water moving out of a cell called?

Back

The process of water moving out of a cell is called osmosis, specifically in a hypertonic environment.

Front

What is the difference between osmosis and diffusion?

Back

Osmosis specifically refers to the movement of water, while diffusion refers to the movement of any molecules from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration.