Effects of Cell and Solution Concentrations on Osmosis
Effects of Cell and Solution Concentrations on Osmosis
This Demonstration illustrates the biological concept of tonicity, a measure of the osmotic pressure gradient between a cell and its surrounding solution. Water can travel across a cell membrane through a process called osmosis, and it always moves down its concentration gradient. Therefore, water will travel from a hypotonic solution, which has high water concentration (and low solute concentration) to a hypertonic solution, which has low water concentration (and high solute concentration). This Demonstration shows the movement of water for different tonicities.