BIOA02H3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Osmotic Concentration, Osmotic Pressure, Osmoregulation
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BIOA02H3 Full Course Notes
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Ionic and osmotic regulation: osmosis and solute movement. Osmosis is the movement of water molecules across a selectively permeable membrane from an area of a high water concentration to an area of a low water concentration. Osmotic pressure is the pressure created by the presence of dissolved solute molecules. It is the pressure that draws or pulls water from an area of low osmotic pressure (high water concentration; low solute concentration) to an area of high osmotic pressure (low water concentration; high solute concentration). In the diagram below, there are a greater number of solute molecules on side 2 compared to side 1 (the solute concentration is greater on side 2 than on side 1). This means that the osmotic pressure on side 2 is greater than on side 1. Conversely, there is a greater water concentration on side 1 compared to side 2.