B1.3.2 Osmosis

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Total cards: 17•Content version: v4•Public deck•Updated: 8/1/2026

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Front (Question)

The passive movement of water from an area of high water potential to an area of low water potential through a selectively permeable membrane is…

Back (Answer)

OSMOSIS

Front (Question)

Osmosis involves the movement of

Back (Answer)

water ONLY

Front (Question)

By adding more solute the a solution how does this affect the water potential

Back (Answer)

it lowers the WP - becomes more negative

Front (Question)

Why does pure water have a higher water potential than a solution of sugar

Back (Answer)

there are more ‘free’ water particles in pure water

Front (Question)

A potato has a WP of -200kPa was placed in pure water WP 0kPa, what happens?

Back (Answer)

Water ENTERS the potato by osmosis (water moved from a high WP to a lower WP)

Front (Question)

water potential is represented by

Back (Answer)

psi (greek letter)

Front (Question)

water potential is measured in units of pressure which are

Back (Answer)

kPa

Front (Question)

Pure water has a WP of

Back (Answer)

0kPa

Front (Question)

How can you determine the the WP of a potato

Back (Answer)

place potato in a series of solutions of different WP. Where there is no net gain of water by the potato is the WP of the potato.

#10

Front (Question)

What happens if a red blood cell is placed in pure water

Back (Answer)

it swells and bursts - water enters the cell

#11

Front (Question)

What happens if a red blood cell is placed in strong sugar solution

Back (Answer)

It shrinks - water leaves the cell

#12

Front (Question)

What happens if a plant cell is placed in pure water

Back (Answer)

It swells - water enters the cell - it becomes turgid

#13

Front (Question)

What happens if a plant cell is placed in strong salt solution

Back (Answer)

water leaves the cell - it shrinks - it plasmolysed

#14

Front (Question)

What is meant by selectively permeable

Back (Answer)

Membrane only allows certain molecules through; it is only permeable to water and other small molecules `

#15

Front (Question)

During an osmosis practical, how and why do you dry the potato chips?

Back (Answer)

with a paper towel. To remove surface water - This would add to the mass - which we do not want

#16

Front (Question)

You must control the temperature during your osmosis practical - HOW?

Back (Answer)

Using a water bath and check the temperature at regular intervals using a thermometer

#17

Front (Question)

give 2 similarities in the movement of substances by diffusion and osmosis

Back (Answer)

• down a gradient (High to Low) 2. passive not active (does not use energy)