CWK

Osmosis

29/12/2014

LO:
Define Osmosis
Starter: (In the back of your book)
What is the definition of diffusion?
Name 2 factors which affect the rate of diffusion
Name 2 examples of diffusion in the human body

What grade did you get today?

To get a C- Define Osmosis

To get a B- Explain why water is moving in Osmosis

To get an A/A*- Predict what will happen to
animal/plant cells under different conditions

Osmosis is very similar to diffusion but ONLY

talks about the movement of water particles
Osmosis is the diffusion of water molecules
from an area of high concentration to an area
of low concentration across a partially
permeable membrane

The cell membrane separates

the contents of the cell from
the outside
It has tiny holes in it
This allows small molecules to
pass through it but not large
molecules
It is PARTIALLY PERMEABLE

Water molecules =
Squash molecules =

Osmosis occurs across a semi permeable

membrane which has tiny holes in it.
These holes are small enough for water
molecules to pass through but larger
molecules cannot pass through

What is Osmosis?
The movement of water from high to low
concentration through a partially permeable
membrane
What is a partially permeable membrane
A membrane that has small holes in it & only
lets small water molecules move through it. It
does not let large solute molecules through.
What is the partially permeable membrane in the
cell?
The cell membrane

Flaccid (plasmolysed)

Wilting plant

Turgid

upright plant

Animal cells dont have a cell wall

This means they either:

Swell and burst if water osmoses in
Shrink if too much leaves
Why might water leave or enter the cell in each case??

Can no longer carry

blood around body

cell wall

vacuole

The cell absorbs water

by osmosis ....

cytoplasm and
cell membrane

....but the cell wall stops the

cell expanding any more

Read New Biology for you p20-21& answer the

following questions:
1) What is turgidity & why do plant cells become
turgid?
2) Why is turgidity useful to plants?
3) What is plasmolysis & why do plant cells do this?
Include a diagram
4) What do animal cells do when placed in a) distilled
water & b) pure sugar and why?

Osmosis
Turgid
Plasmolysed

Partially
permeable
Diffusion

When water enters a plant cell and pushes on

the cell wall causing the cell to swell
A membrane that allows some substances to
pass through and others cannot.
The movement of particles from an area of high
concentration to an area of low
concentration
The movement of water molecules from an
area of their high concentration to an area of
their low concentration
When water leaves a plant cell, the cell
contents shrink and the cell membrane pulls
away from the cell wall