In the context of passive transport, osmosis is a membrane passage process pertaining to which of the following?

• A. Bulk flow of fluid and dissolved solutes through a membrane via vesicle formation and fusion (endocytosis/exocytosis)
• B. Transport of ions through a membrane pump that directly hydrolyzes ATP to move solutes against their electrochemical gradients
• C. Net movement of water across a selectively permeable membrane down its water potential gradient (from lower solute concentration to higher solute concentration)
• D. Net movement of solute molecules across a selectively permeable membrane from lower solute concentration to higher solute concentration using ATP

Answer: (C)