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Osmosis definitions

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  • Osmosis
    Passive movement of water across a semipermeable membrane, driven by solute concentration differences, without energy input.
  • Passive Diffusion
    Movement of molecules from high to low concentration without energy, as seen in water movement during osmosis.
  • Semipermeable Membrane
    Barrier allowing selective passage of certain molecules, such as water, while blocking others like solutes.
  • Solvent
    Substance, typically water in biology, that dissolves solutes and moves across membranes during osmosis.
  • Solute
    Dissolved substance in a solution, whose concentration determines the direction of water movement in osmosis.
  • Tonicity
    Relative concentration of solutes in two regions separated by a membrane, influencing water movement.
  • Hypotonic Solution
    Environment with lower solute and higher water concentration compared to another region, causing cells to swell.
  • Isotonic Solution
    Environment with equal solute concentration on both sides of a membrane, resulting in no net water movement.
  • Hypertonic Solution
    Environment with higher solute and lower water concentration compared to another region, causing cells to shrink.
  • Cell Lysis
    Bursting of a cell due to excessive water intake, often occurring in animal cells in hypotonic environments.
  • Turgor Pressure
    Pressure exerted by water inside the cell membrane against the cell wall, maintaining plant cell structure.
  • Dehydration
    Loss of water from cells, leading to shrinkage and impaired function, especially in hypertonic environments.
  • Cell Wall
    Rigid outer layer in plant cells that prevents bursting and supports turgor pressure during water influx.
  • Biological Membrane
    Structure composed of lipid bilayers that separates cell interior from the external environment and regulates movement.
  • Water Concentration
    Amount of water present in a solution, inversely related to solute concentration and crucial for osmosis direction.