Exosmose is a term used in chemistry to describe the outward flow of liquids or gases through a membrane. The word is spelled as /ˈɛksəsmoʊs/ in IPA phonetic transcription. The first part, "ex," means "out," while "osmose" refers to the movement of a liquid from an area of low concentration to an area of high concentration through a semipermeable membrane. The spelling of this word may seem complex, but its phonetic transcription can help us understand its pronunciation and meaning.
Exosmose is a scientific term used in the field of chemistry and biology to describe a specific process known as exosmosis. Exosmose refers to the movement of solvent molecules (usually water) from a region of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration across a semipermeable membrane. This spontaneous movement occurs in an attempt to equalize the concentration of solute on both sides of the membrane.
The phenomenon of exosmose is driven by the principle of osmosis, which is the net movement of solvent molecules through a semipermeable membrane from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration. In the case of exosmose, the movement occurs from the region with lower solute concentration (often referred to as hypotonic) to the area with higher solute concentration (often referred to as hypertonic).
Exosmose is a result of the colligative properties of solutions, such as osmotic pressure, which leads to the spontaneous movement of solvent molecules to balance the concentrations of solutes on both sides of the membrane. This process plays a crucial role in various biological and chemical systems, including the absorption of nutrients by cells, water uptake in plant roots, and the removal of waste products from cells. Furthermore, exosmose is also relevant in industrial processes such as desalination, where the removal of salt from seawater occurs through the movement of water molecules across a semipermeable membrane.
The passing outwards of a fluid through a membrane-the passing inwards from the outside is called endosmose.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
The word exosmose has its roots in Greek. It is derived from the Greek words exo, meaning outside, and osmos, meaning pushing.