Variation of Osmosis
- Osmosis (Reverse osmosis): This process employs pressure to drive a solvent through a semipermeable membrane while retaining solutes on one side. It forces pure solvent from an area of high solute concentration through the membrane to an area of low solute concentration, utilizing pressure greater than the osmotic pressure. Reverse osmosis is commonly used for water purification and desalination.
- Forward Osmosis: Osmosis is utilized to directly separate water from a solution containing undesirable solutes. A draw solution with higher osmotic pressure compared to the feed solution is employed to induce a net flow of water through a semipermeable membrane. This results in the concentration of the feed solution as the draw solution dilutes. The diluted draw solution can be used directly or subjected to a secondary separation process to remove the draw solute, which can be more efficient than using reverse osmosis alone.
Osmosis
Osmosis is a biological and chemical process in which there is passive movement of solvent molecules from a region of lower solute concentration to a region of higher solute concentration through a semipermeable membrane, thus equalizing solute concentrations on both sides of the membrane. The osmosis process is essential for many biological processes, including the absorption of nutrients and the maintenance of the fluid balance in cells and organisms.
Table of Content
- Osmosis Definition
- What is Osmosis?
- Osmotic Solution
- Types of Osmosis
- Effect of Osmosis on Cell
- Osmotic Pressure
- Significance of Osmosis
- Examples of Osmosis
- Factors Affecting Osmosis
- Variation of Osmosis
- Difference Between Osmosis and Diffusion
- FAQs on Osmosis