Question

students design an experiment to explore how osmosis works. they prepare two solutions separated by a selectively permeable membrane. the membrane is permeable to water, but is impermeable to solute. which of the following best describes the expected results of their experiment?
a) water will move from side a to side b until the concentrations are equal.
b) water will move from side b to side a until the concentrations are equal.
c) solute will move from side b to side a until solute concentrations are equal.
d) solute will move from side a to side b until solute concentrations are equal.

Explanation:

This problem is about osmosis, a concept in Biology (Natural Science subfield). Osmosis is the movement of water across a selectively permeable membrane from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration until equilibrium (equal solute concentrations) is reached.

• Side A has a higher solute concentration (more solute particles) than Side B. So water will move from Side B (lower solute concentration, more water) to Side A (higher solute concentration, less water) until the solute concentrations are equal.
• Option a is wrong because water moves to higher solute, not from A to B.
• Option c and d are wrong because solute movement depends on membrane permeability; here the membrane is permeable to water, not necessarily solute, and osmosis is water movement. So option b is correct.

Answer:

b. Water will move from Side B to Side A until the concentrations are equal.