Question

complete the paragraph to describe what happens during osmosis.
during osmosis, there is a net movement of water molecules across a membrane toward the area of higher solute concentration. the movement of water molecules into that area blank the solution’s volume on that side of the membrane, which consequently blank the solution’s concentration on that side.
options for first blank: (increases, decreases)
options for second blank: (increases, decreases)

Explanation:

1. For the first blank (after "into that area"): When water molecules move into an area (with higher solute concentration) during osmosis, the volume of the solution on that side of the membrane increases because more water is added. So the first blank should be "increases".
2. For the second blank (after "which consequently"): As the volume of the solution on the side with higher solute concentration increases (due to water moving in), the concentration of the solute in that solution decreases. This is because the amount of solute remains the same but the volume of the solution (the solvent, water, has increased), so the concentration (solute/volume) goes down. So the second blank should be "decreases".

Answer:

increases, decreases