Question

Osmosis is__________.A. the movement of solute from an area of high solvent concentration to an area of low solvent concentraton through a semi-permeable membrane B. the movement of solute from an area of low solvent concentration to an area of high solvent concentration through a semi-permeable membrane C. the movement of solvent from an area of high solute concentration to an area of low solute concentration through a semi-permeable membrane D. the movement of solvent from an area of low solute concentration to an area of high solute concentration through a semi-permeable membrane

Answer 1

Answer:

D

Explanation:

Osmosis is a biological phenomenon whereby the molecules of a solvent moves through a selective permeable membrane from an area of low solute concentration to an area of high solute concentration.

There are three types of osmotic solutions viz;

Isotonic; which has an equal solute concentration

Hypotonic; which has a lower solute concentration

Hypertonic; which has a higher solute concentration

When a living cell is placed in a solution, the solvent molecule (which is usually water) moves in or out of the cell depending on whether the cell has a higher solute concentration (hypertonic) or lower solute concentration (hypotonic) in comparison with the solution it was immersed in.

A good example can be observed in the absorption of water by the root hairs of plants; root hairs, due to the accumulation of minerals, possess a lesser concentration of water molecules than the soil i.e the root hairs are hypertonic. Due to this osmotic gradient, water (solvent) moves from the SOIL, which has a lower concentration of solute, to the ROOT, which has a higher concentration of solute.