Water Moves from Less Concentrated to More Concentrated Solutions
- In a room full of people, if everyone crowds into one corner, it becomes cramped, while the rest of the room is spacious.
- Now, think of water molecules behaving similarly they move from areas where they are more "crowded" to areas where they are more "spread out"
- This movement is driven by differences in solute concentration.
Definition
Solute concentration
Solute concentration refers to the amount of solute (a substance dissolved) present in a given quantity of solvent (a liquid in which the solute is dissolved) or solution.
Osmosis is The Movement of Water
Definition
Osmosis
Osmosis is the net movement of water molecules across a semi-permeable membrane from a region of lower solute concentration to a region of higher solute concentration.
The membrane allows water to pass through but restricts larger solute molecules or ions.
- Water moves because of:
- Intermolecular Attractions: Water molecules form hydrogen bonds with solute molecules, creating a "pull" that draws water toward the solute.
