Water Potential + Osmosis

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms related to water potential and osmosis, which are essential for understanding concepts in biology.

Water Potential

The potential energy of water per unit volume, quantified in kilopascals (kPa), indicating the tendency of water to move.

Solvation

The interaction between a solvent and solutes, leading to the formation of a hydration shell around solute particles.

Osmosis

The diffusion of water through a selectively permeable membrane from a less concentrated solution to a more concentrated solution.

Hypotonic Solution

A solution with a lower solute concentration compared to the cell, causing water to flow into the cell.

Hypertonic Solution

A solution with a higher solute concentration compared to the cell, leading to water flowing out of the cell.

Isotonic Solution

A solution where the solute concentration is the same inside and outside the cell, resulting in no net movement of water.

Aquaporins

Protein channels in cell membranes that facilitate the rapid movement of water across the membrane.

Hydration Shell

An organized layer of solvent molecules surrounding a solute particle in a solution.

Dynamic Equilibrium

A state in which the concentrations of solutes are equal on both sides of a membrane, causing no net movement of water.

Turgor Pressure

The pressure exerted by the fluid in a plant cell's vacuole against the cell wall, providing structural support.

Crenation

The process where animal cells lose water in a hypertonic solution and shrivel.

Plasmolysis

The process where a plant cell's cytoplasm shrinks away from the cell wall due to water loss in a hypertonic solution.

Osmotic Concentration

The concentration of solute in a solution that determines the direction of water movement by osmosis.

Contractile Vacuole

A specialized organelle in some unicellular organisms that expels excess water to prevent bursting.

Pressure Potential

The pressure exerted by the fluid inside a cell, contributing to the overall water potential.

Solute Potential

The potential energy of a solution compared to pure water, which always results in a negative value when solute is added.

Intravenous Drip

A medical method to deliver fluids directly into a patient's circulatory system, often using isotonic solutions.

Serial Dilution

A stepwise dilution of a substance in solution that allows for the preparation of various concentrations.

Sucrose Concentration

The amount of sucrose present in a solution, used in experiments to determine osmotic effects on plant tissues.

Homeostasis

The process by which living organisms maintain a stable internal environment, including osmotic balance.