Osmosis

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What is osmolarity and how does it relate to water concentration?

Osmolarity is the total concentration of a solution and determines the water concentration. Higher osmolarity leads to lower water concentration.

Define osmotic pressure and its relationship to osmolarity and water concentration.

Osmotic pressure is the pressure that must be applied to the solution to prevent net flow of water in response to an osmotic gradient. Greater osmolarity results in greater osmotic pressure, and lower water concentration leads to higher osmotic pressure.

Explain the process of osmosis.

Osmosis is the net diffusion of water across a membrane, from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration through a partially permeable membrane.

What is tonicity and why is it frequently misunderstood?

<p>Tonicity is a term used frequently in a medical context and is defined in at least three different ways, leading to frequent misunderstanding.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are aquaporins and how do they contribute to osmosis?

<p>Aquaporins are a group of membrane proteins that form channels through which water can diffuse, contributing to the permeability of the plasma membrane to water.</p> Signup and view all the answers