module 2 - 5.5 osmosis Flashcards
how is a solution formed?
solute dissolved in a solvent (always water) to form a solution
what is concentration?
amount of solute dissolved per unit volume of solvent
what is water potential?
pressure exerted by water molecules as they hit a container or membrane
what does water potential quantify?
quantifies the tendency of water to move from one area to another due to osmosis and hydrostatic pressure effects
what does it mean to quantify something?
give it numbers
what is hydrostatic pressure?
pressure of water
what is osmosis?
specific type of diffusion
why is osmosis a specific type of diffusion?
because it applies only to water molecules moving across a partially permeable membrane down a concentration gradient
what is osmosis explained in terms of?
water potential
what is the water potential of pure water?
0kPa
why is osmosis diffusion?
because it is the solvent molecules moving within solute molecules
how will the water move by osmosis?
from area of high WP to low WP through a partially permeable membrane until equilibrium has been reached
what leads to a hydrostatic pressure?
movement of water into cells causing the cell volume to increase
can animals increase/decrease in hydrostatic pressure?
no - they cannot increase nor decrease
what does it mean if cell if a cell is hypertonic?
a solution with a higher WP compared to the cell (cells shrivel)
- causes cells to be crenelated