jschmied©2010	Notes on
all rights reserved	Diffusion/Osmosis/Equilibrium and
	Photosynthesis/Respiration

Diffusion, Osmosis, and Equilibrium

Diffusion = net movement of molecules from an area where there are many molecules to an area where there are few.

Osmosis = the diffusion of water across the cell membrane

Equilibrium = Occurs when molecules of a substance are spread equally across a space.

Try these problems then scroll up to see information on the mini Experiment.

In the mini experiment water diffuses across the cell membrane of each vegetable cell's by the process of osmosis until the water concentration on each side of the cell membrane reaches equilibrium. The water goes from the area of the highest concentration to the area of the lowest concentration

In salt water, the water molecules leave the vegetable cells across the cell membrane (not the cell wall) for the salt water solution because the salt water has less water in it than the vegetable's cells do. So the vegetable cells lose water, when they lose water the vegetable wilts and becomes more flexible!

The same thing happens with the vegetable in air. The water molecules inside the vegetable diffuse into the air across the cell membrane via osmosis. As a result, the vegetable cells lose water to the air. Thus, in both trials the sample wilts and becomes more flexible.

 

Cell Index Project Page Home

© 2010 John Schmied & Mike Reid all rights reserved