Osmosis

Osmosis: The net movement of water molecules from a region of higher water potential to a region
of lower water potential, through a partially permeable membrane, as a result of random motion.
solute + solvent = solution
Water potential: The tendency of water to move out of a solution.
Water always moves down a water potential gradient.
The water potential of pure water at atmospheric pressure is 0.
Water potential depends on two factors:
- How much water the solution contains in relation to solute
The contribution of the concentration of the solution to the water potential is called the
solute potential (the extent to which solute molecules decrease the water potential of the
solution).
The more solute molecules in a solution, the lower the tendency of water to leave the
solution (water potential).
- How much pressure is applied to the solution
The contribution of pressure to the water potential is called the pressure potential.
The higher the pressure, the higher the water potential.
Osmosis
in animals

- If the water potential of the surrounding solution is too low an animal cell will shrink.
- If the water potential of the solution is the same as inside the cell, the cell will remain normal.
- If the water potential of the surrounding solution is too high, water will enter the cell by
osmosis, causing the cell to swell and then burst.
Osmosis in plants
- If the water potential of the surrounding solution is high, water will enter the cell. But, the
strong and rigid cell wall will push back against the expanding protoplast (living part of the
cell) and the pressure will rise rapidly (pressure potential) until the water potential inside and
outside the cell are equal and equilibrium is reached.
- When the cell wall is fully inflated, it is said to be turgid.
- water potential = solute potential + pressure potential
- If the water potential is much lower in the surrounding solution, water will leave the cell by
osmosis, causing the protoplast to shrink until it does not exert any pressure on the cell wall at
all. At this point pressure potential is 0, so water potential = solute potential.
As the protoplast shrinks, it pulls away from the cell wall. This process is called plasmolysis.
The point at which plasmolysis is about to occur and pressure has just reached zero is called
incipient plasmolysis.