Question

If you increase the number of water molecules in the extracellular fluid, will the membrane move to the right or the left in the Membrane View? Explain your reasoning in terms of pressure.

Answer 1

Answer:

The membrane will move to the left in view of the applied pressure.

Explanation:

The scenario described can be perfectly illustrated through understanding the concept of osmosis.

Osmosis can be defined as the movement of particules or molecules in a solvent from a region of lower concentration to a region of higher concentration, through a semi permeable membrane.

To put differently, the movement of water molecules is from a region of lower osmotic pressure to a higher one. And for osmosis to be achieved and water molecules evenly distributed, pressure built must be slow and steady to a state of high or equilibrium.

This often results to movement of membrane to the left as a response to the osmosis phenomenon. Increasing the number of water molecules in the extra cellular fluid will thus accelerate this process, increase the pressure built up, and thus generate ripples from a lower area to a higher one. Osmosis is thus gradual and steady.