Osmosis Investigation

The first 200 words of this essay...

Valentine Macau

Osmosis Investigation

INTRODUCTION:

Diffusion is the movement of particles from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration. Diffusion results because of the random movement of particles. The diffusion of water into and out of a selectively permeable membrane is called osmosis. Because of the selectively permeable membrane, nothing but water and other very small particles can be diffused through osmosis. The cell membrane is similar to the membrane mentioned above, so the cell would lose water because of osmosis if it were placed in an environment in which water concentration is greater than that of the cell. A solution is isotonic if the concentration of dissolved substances is the same as the concentration inside the cell. Osmosis does not occur in an isotonic solution. A hypotonic solution is a solution in which the concentration of dissolved substances is lower than the concentration inside the cell. If a cell were put in a hypotonic solution, osmosis will cause water to move through the cell membrane into the cell. A solution is hypertonic if its concentration of dissolved substances is greater than the concentration inside the cell. If a cell