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Osmosis definitions

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  • Osmosis
    Diffusion of water across a semipermeable membrane, moving from areas of high water concentration to low water concentration.
  • Semipermeable Membrane
    Barrier allowing selective passage of certain substances while restricting others, crucial for cellular water movement.
  • Diffusion
    Movement of particles from regions of higher concentration to regions of lower concentration, driven by concentration gradients.
  • Solvent
    Substance, typically water in biological systems, that dissolves solutes and moves across membranes during osmosis.
  • Solute
    Molecule or ion dissolved in a solvent, determining the tonicity and direction of water movement in osmosis.
  • Osmotic Pressure
    Force required to prevent water flow across a membrane, reflecting the strength of osmosis between solutions.
  • Tonicity
    Relative concentration of solutes in two solutions, dictating the direction and effects of osmosis.
  • Isotonic Solution
    Environment with equal solute concentrations on both sides of a membrane, resulting in balanced water movement.
  • Hypotonic Solution
    Environment with lower solute and higher water concentration compared to another solution, causing cells to swell.
  • Hypertonic Solution
    Environment with higher solute and lower water concentration compared to another solution, causing cells to shrink.
  • Plasma Membrane
    Cellular boundary separating internal and external environments, regulating water and solute movement.
  • Cell Wall
    Rigid structure in plant cells preventing membrane rupture during water influx, supporting turgor pressure.
  • Turgor Pressure
    Water pressure pushing the cell membrane against the cell wall, maintaining plant cell structure and rigidity.
  • Central Vacuole
    Large organelle in plant cells storing water, contributing to turgor pressure and cell stability.
  • Lysis
    Cell rupture resulting from excessive water intake in hypotonic environments, common in animal cells lacking cell walls.