Osmosis 1

Lokmanya Tilak mahavidyalaya,
Wani
Department of Botany
Osmosis
By
Dr. Ajay V. Rajurkar
Class: B.Sc. Part III (Semester V)

Subject : Botany
Osmosis
In osmosis , It is the movement of solvent particle takes place
from a region of its higher concentration to its lower
concentration across a semipermeable membrane till
equilibrium.
It is defined as, the diffusion of water molecules across
a differentially permeable membranes from a region
where water molecules are more concentrated to one
where they are less concentrated.
It is a movement of water molecules across the

differentially permeable membrane that separate two
solvents or solutions, the direction of movement is from
higher concentration to lower concentration (Water
potential).
 The phenomenon of Osmosis was
discovered by Jean-Antoine Nollet (1748).
 However, it was the doctor René Joachim
Henri Dutrochet who first described it in
detail and introduced the term “Osmosis”
about 80 years later (1826).
 If a solution or its pure solvent are separated

by a semipermeable membrane, the solvent
molecules diffuse into the solution. This
diffusion of solvent molecules into solution is
also called Osmotic diffusion.
Osmotic Pressure.
 As a result of the separation of solution from its
solvent or the two solutions by the semi-permeable
membrane, a pressure is developed in solution due
to the presence of dissolved solutes in it. This is
called as Osmotic pressure (O.P.).
 Osmotic pressure is measured in terms of
atmospheres.
 Osmotic pressure is directly proportional to the
concentration of dissolved solutes in the solution.
More conc. solution has higher osmotic pressure.
 Osmotic pressure of solution is always higher than
its pure solvent.
 Osmotic pressure does not increase by the addition
of insoluble solute in the solution.
From biological point of view the solutions may be of
following three types. )
1) Isotonic solutions : These are the solutions whose
concentration and osmotic pressure is equal to the
concentration and osmotic pressure of the cell sap. In these
solutions, water molecules move in and out of the cells at
equal rates or no osmotic diffusion of water molecules will
takes place across the membrane.
2) Hypertonic solution : Solutions whose concentration
and osmotic pressure is higher than the concentration and
osmotic pressure of cell sap. This is a strong solution (weak
solvent) and it attracts solvent from another solution.
3) Hypotonic solutions : Solutions whose concentration
and osmotic pressure is less than the concentration and
osmotic pressure of cell sap. This is weak solution (strong
solvent) and it loses water to other solutions.
Types of Osmosis
Depending upon the movement of water molecules in or
out of a living system, osmosis divided into two types :-
(i) Exosmosis (ii) Endosmosis.
 Exosmosis : When a plant cell is placed in a
concentrated solution, the water molecules moves form
cell into the outer concentrated solution, through the
plasma membrane. It is called exosmosis. It is
demostrated by grape Osmometer.
 Endosmosis : When a water or solvent molecules
enters into the cell through plasma membrane from
outer medium called endosmosis. It is demonstrated by
Potato Osmometer. Cell or tissue will remain as such in
isotonic solution.
 If a living plant cell or tissue is placed in water or
hypotonic solution (whose O.P. is lower than that
of cell sap) water enters into the cell sap by
osmosis. This process is called as Endosmosis.
 As a result of entry of the water into the cell sap,
a pressure is developed which presses the
protoplasm against the cell wall and the cell
becomes turgid. This pressure is called as
Turgor pressure.
 Consequence of the turgor pressure is the wall
pressure which is exerted by the elastic cell wall
against the expanding protoplasm. At a given
time turgor pressure (T.P.) equals the wall
pressure (W.P.).
 T.P.= W.P.
Exosmosis Endosmosis
Plant Cells as Osmotic Systems.
 Living cells in plants form osmotic systems due
to the presence of semi-permeable plasma
membrane and the cell sap having a certain
osmotic pressure.
 Plasma-membrane actually is not truly semi-
permeable as it allows certain solutes to pass
through it and hence, it is known as selectively
permeable or differentially permeable mem-
brane.
 The tonoplast or the vacuolar membrane also
possesses the same nature. The solvent in
case of plants is always water. The cell wall is
permeable.
SIGNIFICANCE OF OSMOSIS IN PLANTS
 Large quantities of water are absorbed by roots from
the soil by osmosis.
 Cell to cell movement of water and other substances
dissolved in it involves this process.
 Opening and closing of stomata depend upon the
turgor pressure of the guard cells.
 Due to osmosis the turgidity of the cells and hence
the shape or form of their organs is maintained.
 The resistance of plants to drought and frost
increases with increase in osmotic pressure of their
cells.
 Turgidity of the cells of the young seedlings allows
them to come out of the soil.

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Lokmanya Tilak mahavidyalaya,

Class: B.Sc. Part III (Semester V)

It is a movement of water molecules across the

 If a solution or its pure solvent are separated

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