Osmosis

How does osmosis affect living organisms

• Cell wall is permeable (cell surface membrane)

• Cytoplasm and nucleus are a complex mixture
of various dissolved substances
Plant cell in a solution with higher water
potential
Plant cell in a solution with lower water
potential
Animal cell in a solution with lower and
higher water potential
* At higher water potential:
Animal cells swell and even burst (no cell wall to
protect)
* At same water potential:
No change in shape or size
*At lower water potential
Animal cells loose watercell shrinks
(crenation)eventually die
 What is turgor pressure
• Plant cells are very much like your own cells,
except they are surrounded by a cell wall.
• This cell wall is part of what gives plants such a
rigid and sturdy structure.
• Plant cells need a certain amount of pressure
to make sure that the cell wall stays rigid.
• Pressure from fluid within the cell pushing
against the cell wall is called turgor pressure.