OSMOSIS
Year 10
Osmosis
• The diffusion of water molecules across a cell
membrane
• Osmosis is the (net) movement of water from an area of
high concentration to an area of low concentration via a
partially permeable membrane.
• Water can move into and out of cells through the cell
membrane
• A partially permeable membrane is porous but will allow
water to pass through more rapidly than dissolved
substances
Osmosis
Osmosis
• Osmosis is a special form of diffusion and
always involves the movement of water
(H2O) across a membrane.
• Osmosis is the movement of water molecules
only
• across a selectively permeable membrane
• down a water potential gradient.
Osmosis
• The concentration of water can also be referred
to as water potential.
• A high concentration of water is a high water
potential and a low concentration of water is a
low water potential.
• Therefore, in osmosis, water moves from a high
to a low water potential
Osmosis
• In living cells, the cell membrane is partially
permeable, and the cytoplasm and vacuole (in
plant cells) contain dissolved substances. As a
result, water tends to diffuse into cells by osmosis
if they are surrounded by a weak solution e.g.
fresh water.
• If the cells are surrounded by a stronger solution,
e.g., seawater, the cells may lose water by
osmosis
Effect of Osmosis on Animal Cells
• Animal cells do not have a cell wall. This means that they are
more heavily affected by changes in concentrations and
water potential in the fluid found outside the cell called the
tissue fluid.
• Cells can burst when the surrounding fluid has a much
higher water potential. Water will move from the surrounding
fluid into the cell by osmosis and as the cell only has a cell
membrane, the pressure exerted by the excess water can
cause the cell to become crenated and even burst.
• Cells can die when the surrounding fluid has a much lower
water potential. Water will move from the cell into
surrounding fluid by osmosis so the cell will shrivel and die.
Effect of Osmosis on Plant Cells
Water can move into and out of plant cells by osmosis
causing different effects:
• Cells become turgid when placed in a solution of a higher
water potential
• As there is a water concentration difference, water will move
from the solution into the cell by osmosis causing the cell to
swell and become turgid which supports the cell.
• When plant cells are turgid and full of water, the pressure of
the water inside the cell pushing outwards on the cell wall is
called turgor pressure. This pressure helps support the cells
as the cell wall is rigid so the water exerts pressure on it.
Effect of Osmosis on Plant Cells
(Cont’d)
• Cells become flaccid when placed in a solution of a
lower water potential. (Hypertonic solution)
• As there is a water concentration difference, water
will move from the cell into the solution by osmosis
causing the cell to wilt and become limp.
• When the cell membrane detaches and pulls away
from the cell wall, this is called plasmolysis. This
occurs when the plant is dehydrated so the
cytoplasm inside the cell shrinks and pulls the cell
membrane away from the cell wall
Terms to note
• Turgid: Cells are described as turgid when they are swollen due to high water
content
• Turgor pressure: This is the pressure on the cell wall from the cell membrane
pushing upon it i.e., the force within the cell that pushes the plasma membrane
against the cell wall. It is also called hydrostatic pressure (pressure in a fluid
measured at a certain point within itself when at equilibrium)
• Flaccid (plant cell): This occurs when water moves out of the cell via osmosis. This
is when a cell is loose or soft. The cell shrinks but the cell membrane does not
peel away from the cell wall.
• Plasmolysis: this is a condition where a cell has lost its water to a point where the
cell membrane pulls away from the cell wall and becomes crenated (the
shrinkage of the cell with a round-toothed edge).
• Cytolysis: When an animal cell bursts after being placed in a hypotonic solution.
The cell swells and expands until it bursts. This can also be called osmotic lysis.
Osmotic pressure and Reverse osmosis
• Osmotic pressure: the pressure that must be applied to a solution to prevent
osmotic movement across a semi-permeable membrane
• The minimum pressure required to prevent the inward flow of a solution’s
pure solvent through a semipermeable membrane is known as the osmotic
pressure
• Reverse Osmosis: the movement of fresh water through a semipermeable
membrane when pressure is applied to a solution (such as seawater) on one
side of it
• It works on the same principle of osmosis but in the reverse direction. In
this process direction of water flow is reversed by applying greater pressure.
• It is used to remove ions, mineral chemicals, and other impurities from
drinking water. It is often used to partially clean up tap water to make it
roughly 90% to 99% pure
GROUP TASK
• Produce a mini-poster summarising the different effects of
osmosis on animal and plant cells.
• Work in groups of four (4) to prepare a poster that is divided
into two clear sections:
a. Description, and
b. Explanations
• Show the difference that solutions of high and low water
potential have on a red blood cell and a palisade mesophyll cell.
• The poster should include the terms turgid, turgor, plasmolysis
and flaccid, and explain the importance of water potential
gradient and osmosis in the uptake and loss of water
Active Transport
• Active transport is the net movement of
particles against a concentration gradient using
energy from respiration
• Energy is required for this process to occur
• During active transport, molecules are
transported from a low concentration to a high
concentration
Active transport in root hair cells
• Plants require mineral ions for growth. Nitrates are
especially needed for protein synthesis. They take these
in from the soil. Mineral ions are in a higher
concentration inside the root hair cells than in the soil.
They then move via active transport from the soil into
the root hair cells in order to enter the plant
• Root hair cells are adapted to do this by having:
1. Large surface area – increases the surface over which
minerals are absorbed
2. Permanent vacuole – increases the speed of osmosis
3. Mitochondria – have many mitochondria to increase energy
available for active transport of mineral ions.
Active Transport in Animals
• Active transport occurs in the gut wall. Active transport
helps sugar to be transferred from a low concentration
in the gut to a higher concentration in the blood. This
allows the glucose from the gut to be absorbed. This
glucose is used for respiration
• Active transport occurs in the kidney tubules. Active
transport helps sugars, amino acids and salts to be
transferred from a low concentration in the tubules to a
higher concentration in the cortex/ medulla of the
kidneys to be reabsorbed back into the blood after being
filtered out so a lot isn’t lost in the urine
Protein Molecules in Active
Transport
• Proteins embedded in the cell membrane help with
active transport. They are called carrier proteins and
help move substances across the membrane as
outlined below:
1.The molecule attaches to the carrier protein at its binding
site.
2.The carrier protein changes shape with the help of ATP
(energy).
3.The molecule is released on the other side of the carrier
protein.
Group 1
Group 1 Group 2
• Bini • Divine
• Dolapo • Fareeda
• Mubarak • Boluwatife
• Kudrot • Ikeoluwa
• Salako • Adenike
Group 3 Group 4
• Elisha • Baseerat Ahmed
• Goodness • Kosi Iwueze
• Daniel • Michael
• Hephzibah • Tife
• Emma
• Active Transport
• Passive Transport (Diffusion, Osmosis)
References
• Books
• https://byjus.com/biology/reverse-osmosis/
• https://byjus.com/chemistry/what-is-reverse-osmosis-process/
• https://studymind.co.uk/notes/active-transport/
• https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zc7k2nb/revision/8
