Question

If a fresh cucumber slice is placed in very salty water, which direction will the water move, into the cells of the cucumber or out of the cucumber?

Answer 1

If we sprinkle salt on cucumber slices, it releases water after some time due to the process of osmosis. Osmosis is a process where solute or salt from higher concentration moves towards lower concentration through a semi-permeable membrane. Here, in this case, the salt concentration is more outside on the cucumber slices. The individual cell membrane of cells present in cucumber slices acts as a semi-permeable membrane. Inside the cucumber cells, there is less concentration of salt or solute and more concentration of water. Therefore, the salt from outside goes inside individual cells and the water comes out as it also travels from higher concentration to outside lower concentration through a semi-permeable membrane.