2006-11-06 10:38:22 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
In order to have osmosis first of all you need to have a semi-permeable membrane separating two solutions. In order to have net water movement from one solution to the other you need to have different concentrations of solutes that CANNOT pass through the membrane. These solutes are osmotically active: since they cannot pass through the membrane water has to move in order to equilibrate the osmotic pressures. If they could pass through the membrane then they would just diffuse from one solution to the other until their concentration equilibrates and thus they would not contribute to the generation of osmotic pressure.
So in two words, osmotically active substances with respect to a given semi-permeable membrane are solutes that cannot pass through the membrane.
2006-11-07 05:14:21 · answer #1 · answered by bellerophon 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
are substances that do not pass through other cell membranes e.g proteins are large they dont pass through membranes directly so they suck water from interstitial fluid to the vessels
2014-09-18 00:36:43 · answer #2 · answered by tionenji 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, osmosis is exclusively diffusion of water, so water, I guess would be the answer
2006-11-06 10:57:03 · answer #3 · answered by kusbetts 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋