What are the factors affecting Osmosis?

Answer.

Osmosis is the movement of water molecules from a region of high water concentration to a region of low water concentration through a semi-permeable membrane.

Osmosis is a special type of diffusion that involves the movement of water molecules only and not solute molecules. Osmosis takes place in cells across the cell membrane as well as across non-living membranes. The factors affects osmosis includes:-

1.Size of solute molecules: Osmosis’ occurs only when solute molecules are too large to pass through a semi-permeable membrane

2.Concentration Gradient: Osmosis occurs when two solutions of unequal solute concentration are separated by a semi-permeable membrane

3.Temperature: High temperatures increase movement of water molecules hence influence osmosis. However, too high temperatures denature proteins in cell membrane and osmosis stops

4. Pressure: Increase in pressure affects movement of water molecules. As pressure increases inside a plant cell, osmosis decreases