Osmosis, the spontaneous passage or diffusion of water or other solvents through a semipermeable membrane (one that blocks the passage of dissolved substances—i.e., solutes).
The process, important in biology, was first thoroughly studied in 1877 by a German plant physiologist, Wilhelm Pfeffer.
Earlier workers had made less accurate studies of leaky membranes (e.g., animal bladders) and the passage through them in opposite directions of water and escaping substances.
Osmosis is a passive process and happens without any expenditure of energy. It involves the movement of molecules from a region of higher concentration to lower concentration until the concentrations become equal on either side of the membrane.
Any solvent can undergo the process of osmosis including gases and supercritical liquids.
Let us have a detailed look at the different types and effects of osmosis in detail.
