What determines the direction of osmosis?

What determines the direction of osmosis?

• A. Comparison of inside versus surrounding solute and water concentrations
• B. Temperature alone
• C. Presence of membrane channels
• D. pH of the solution

Answer: (A)

Osmosis is the movement of water across a selectively permeable membrane from a region of higher water potential to a region of lower water potential. The direction is set by the relative solute concentrations on each side: the side with more dissolved solute has lower water potential, so water moves toward it to balance the concentrations. If the inside of a cell has lower solute concentration than the outside, water will enter; if the inside has higher solute concentration, water will leave. Factors like temperature, membrane permeability, or the presence of water channels affect how fast osmosis occurs but not the direction.

Osmosis is the movement of water across a selectively permeable membrane from a region of higher water potential to a region of lower water potential. The direction is set by the relative solute concentrations on each side: the side with more dissolved solute has lower water potential, so water moves toward it to balance the concentrations. If the inside of a cell has lower solute concentration than the outside, water will enter; if the inside has higher solute concentration, water will leave. Factors like temperature, membrane permeability, or the presence of water channels affect how fast osmosis occurs but not the direction.