Diffusion and osmosis

What is diffusion?

Diffusion is the net movement of molecules or atoms from a region of high concentration to a region of low concentration as a result of random motion. This process is driven by a gradient in concentration.

What is Osmosis?

Osmosis is the movement of solvent molecules (usually water) through a semi-permeable membrane from an area of high solvent concentration to an area of low solvent concentration. This aims to equalize the concentration of solutes on both sides of the membrane.

What factors affect the rate of diffusion?

Several factors can affect the rate of diffusion:

• Temperature: Higher temperatures increase the kinetic energy of molecules, leading to faster diffusion.
• Concentration Gradient: A steeper gradient results in a faster diffusion rate.
• Size of Molecules: Smaller molecules diffuse more quickly than larger ones.
• Medium Density: Diffusion is slower in denser media due to increased collisions.
• Pressure: Higher pressure can increase the rate of diffusion, especially in gases.

What factors affect the rate of osmosis?

Several factors can affect the rate of osmosis:

• Solute concentration: increasing the solute concentration will create a larger transmembrane concentration gradient which results in a higher rate of osmosis
• Temperature: Higher temperatures increase the kinetic energy of molecules, leading to faster osmosis.
• Pressure: Higher pressure can increase the rate of osmosis