OSMOSIS Meaning and
Definition
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Osmosis refers to the spontaneous movement of a solvent, typically water, across a semipermeable membrane, from a region of lower solute concentration to a region of higher solute concentration. This process occurs until equilibrium is reached and there is an equal concentration of solute on both sides of the membrane. Osmosis is a fundamental mechanism in biology and plays a crucial role in processes such as filtration, diffusion, and the maintenance of cellular homeostasis.
In osmosis, the movement of water molecules across the membrane is driven by the concentration gradient of solute particles on either side. Since water molecules are relatively small and uncharged, they are able to traverse the pores of the semipermeable membrane, while larger solute particles cannot. This selective permeability enables water to diffuse through the membrane, allowing for the equalization of solute concentrations.
Osmosis has important implications in various biological systems. It is essential for the absorption of nutrients in the digestive system and the regulation of water balance in cells. Osmotic pressure, which refers to the force required to prevent osmosis, is also a key concept utilized in medical applications and laboratory techniques.
Overall, osmosis is a critical phenomenon that facilitates the movement of water across membranes, contributing to the proper functioning of biological processes and maintaining physiological equilibrium.
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The phenomenon of the passage of certain fluids and solutions through a membrane or other porous substance. The rapidity of the passage of two fluids separated by a membrane is not always equal; the phenomenon of the more rapid passage is called endosmosis, that of the slower passage is called exosmosis.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
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The tendency of fluids of different kinds and densities to become diffused through a separating membrane when placed in contact with it; the action produced by this tendency.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
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Etymology of OSMOSIS
The word "osmosis" originated from the Greek word "ὠσμός" (osmós), which means "push" or "thrust", and is related to "ὠθέω" (ōthéō), meaning "to push". The term was first introduced by a French physician and physiologist, Jules Henri Poincaré, in 1854, to describe the phenomenon of fluid movement through a semipermeable membrane. The concept of osmosis was further developed and studied by German plant physiologist Wilhelm Pfeffer, who popularized the term in the field of biology.
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