TRANSPORT – Osmosis
Osmosis – PASSIVE Net movement of water molecules from a region of high to low conc. of water molecules, across a partially permeable membrane (phospholipid bilayer)
Process:
- Large solutes cannot move across the membrane but small water molecules can diffuse, thus enabling equilibrium.
- Hydrogen bonds between solutes and water molecules reduce the number of free water molecules available for osmosis.
More solute = more hydrogen bonds with water = fewer free water molecules available to cross the membrane
