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Bianca Stratford
8/20/2025
Biology
Osmosis
97
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Aug 20, 2025
•
Osmosis in Plant and Animal Cells: Effects and Examples
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Osmosis in Plant Cells
This page delves deeper into the specific effects of osmosis on plant cells, highlighting their unique structures and responses to different osmotic conditions.
Plant cells are divided into three main parts:
- Protoplast: The living contents of the cell, excluding the cell wall
- Cellulose cell wall
- Central vacuole
Vocabulary: Protoplast refers to the entire contents of a plant cell excluding the cell wall.
The page presents a detailed table showing how plant cells respond to different osmotic conditions:
-
Hypertonic solution:
- Water potential: More negative than the cell
- Net movement of water: Leaves the cell
- Protoplast condition: Shrinks
- Cell state: Plasmolysed (protoplast completely pulled away from the cell wall)
-
Isotonic solution:
- Water potential: Equal to the cell
- Net movement of water: No movement
- Protoplast condition: No change
- Cell state: Incipient plasmolysis (protoplast beginning to pull away from the cell wall)
-
Hypotonic solution:
- Water potential: Less negative than the cell
- Net movement of water: Enters the cell
- Protoplast condition: Swells
- Cell state: Turgid (protoplast pushed against cell wall)
Highlight: The presence of a cell wall in plant cells prevents them from bursting in hypotonic solutions, unlike animal cells. Instead, they become turgid, which is essential for plant structure and support.
Example: When a wilted plant is watered, its cells absorb water through osmosis, becoming turgid and restoring the plant's rigidity.
This page emphasizes the unique responses of plant cells to osmotic pressure, showcasing how their specialized structures, particularly the cell wall, allow them to withstand and utilize osmotic forces in ways that differ from animal cells.
Understanding Osmosis and Water Potential
Osmosis is a fundamental process in biology that plays a crucial role in the movement of water across cell membranes. This page explores the concept of water potential and its relationship to osmosis in various cellular environments.
Definition: Osmosis is the movement of water from an area of high water potential to an area of low water potential across a semi-permeable membrane.
The concept of water potential is central to understanding osmosis:
Vocabulary: Water potential is a measure of the tendency of water to move from one area to another, typically measured in kilopascals (kPa).
Pure, deionized water has a water potential of 0 kPa. Any solution containing dissolved solutes has a water potential less than 0 kPa. The more concentrated the solution, the lower (more negative) the water potential becomes.
Example: In a root hair cell, water may diffuse from a dilute solution with a water potential of -200 kPa to a more concentrated solution with a water potential of -500 kPa.
The page also introduces three important types of solutions that cells may encounter:
- Hypertonic solution: A solution with a lower water potential than the cell.
- Isotonic solution: A solution with equal water potential to the cell.
- Hypotonic solution: A solution with a higher water potential than the cell.
Highlight: The effects of these solutions on cells are significant. In a hypertonic solution, cells shrink (crenation in animal cells). In a hypotonic solution, cells swell and may burst (osmolysis or hemolysis in red blood cells). In an isotonic solution, cells maintain their shape.
The page concludes with an important note about the relationship between water and ion movement:
Quote: "You cannot move ions without moving water."
This statement underscores the interconnected nature of osmosis and ion transport in cellular processes.
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This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
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Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
I think it’s very much worth it and you’ll end up using it a lot once you get the hang of it and even after looking at others notes you can still ask your Artificial intelligence buddy the question and ask to simplify it if you still don’t get it!!! In the end I think it’s worth it 😊👍 ⚠️Also DID I MENTION ITS FREEE YOU DON’T HAVE TO PAY FOR ANYTHING AND STILL GET YOUR GRADES IN PERFECTLY❗️❗️⚠️
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Knowunity is the BEST app I’ve used in a minute. This is not an ai review or anything this is genuinely coming from a 7th grade student (I know 2011 im young) but dude this app is a 10/10 i have maintained a 3.8 gpa and have plenty of time for gaming. I love it and my mom is just happy I got good grades
Brad T
Android user
Not only did it help me find the answer but it also showed me alternative ways to solve it. I was horrible in math and science but now I have an a in both subjects. Thanks for the help🤍🤍
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
I found this app a couple years ago and it has only gotten better since then. I really love it because it can help with written questions and photo questions. Also, it can find study guides that other people have made as well as flashcard sets and practice tests. The free version is also amazing for students who might not be able to afford it. Would 100% recommend
Aubrey
iOS user
Best app if you're in Highschool or Junior high. I have been using this app for 2 school years and it's the best, it's good if you don't have anyone to help you with school work.😋🩷🎀
Marco B
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This app is phenomenal down to the correct info and the various topics you can study! I greatly recommend it for people who struggle with procrastination and those who need homework help. It has been perfectly accurate for world 1 history as far as I’ve seen! Geometry too!
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
I think it’s very much worth it and you’ll end up using it a lot once you get the hang of it and even after looking at others notes you can still ask your Artificial intelligence buddy the question and ask to simplify it if you still don’t get it!!! In the end I think it’s worth it 😊👍 ⚠️Also DID I MENTION ITS FREEE YOU DON’T HAVE TO PAY FOR ANYTHING AND STILL GET YOUR GRADES IN PERFECTLY❗️❗️⚠️
Thomas R
iOS user
Knowunity is the BEST app I’ve used in a minute. This is not an ai review or anything this is genuinely coming from a 7th grade student (I know 2011 im young) but dude this app is a 10/10 i have maintained a 3.8 gpa and have plenty of time for gaming. I love it and my mom is just happy I got good grades
Brad T
Android user
Not only did it help me find the answer but it also showed me alternative ways to solve it. I was horrible in math and science but now I have an a in both subjects. Thanks for the help🤍🤍
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
I found this app a couple years ago and it has only gotten better since then. I really love it because it can help with written questions and photo questions. Also, it can find study guides that other people have made as well as flashcard sets and practice tests. The free version is also amazing for students who might not be able to afford it. Would 100% recommend
Aubrey
iOS user
Best app if you're in Highschool or Junior high. I have been using this app for 2 school years and it's the best, it's good if you don't have anyone to help you with school work.😋🩷🎀
Marco B
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This app is phenomenal down to the correct info and the various topics you can study! I greatly recommend it for people who struggle with procrastination and those who need homework help. It has been perfectly accurate for world 1 history as far as I’ve seen! Geometry too!
Paul T
iOS user
Osmosis in Plant and Animal Cells: Effects and Examples
Osmosis is a crucial process in plant and animal cells, affecting their shape and function based on the concentration of surrounding solutions. This summary explores the effects of osmosis on cells, water potential, and the behavior of cells in different... Show more
Osmosis in Plant Cells
This page delves deeper into the specific effects of osmosis on plant cells, highlighting their unique structures and responses to different osmotic conditions.
Plant cells are divided into three main parts:
- Protoplast: The living contents of the cell, excluding the cell wall
- Cellulose cell wall
- Central vacuole
Vocabulary: Protoplast refers to the entire contents of a plant cell excluding the cell wall.
The page presents a detailed table showing how plant cells respond to different osmotic conditions:
-
Hypertonic solution:
- Water potential: More negative than the cell
- Net movement of water: Leaves the cell
- Protoplast condition: Shrinks
- Cell state: Plasmolysed (protoplast completely pulled away from the cell wall)
-
Isotonic solution:
- Water potential: Equal to the cell
- Net movement of water: No movement
- Protoplast condition: No change
- Cell state: Incipient plasmolysis (protoplast beginning to pull away from the cell wall)
-
Hypotonic solution:
- Water potential: Less negative than the cell
- Net movement of water: Enters the cell
- Protoplast condition: Swells
- Cell state: Turgid (protoplast pushed against cell wall)
Highlight: The presence of a cell wall in plant cells prevents them from bursting in hypotonic solutions, unlike animal cells. Instead, they become turgid, which is essential for plant structure and support.
Example: When a wilted plant is watered, its cells absorb water through osmosis, becoming turgid and restoring the plant's rigidity.
This page emphasizes the unique responses of plant cells to osmotic pressure, showcasing how their specialized structures, particularly the cell wall, allow them to withstand and utilize osmotic forces in ways that differ from animal cells.
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Understanding Osmosis and Water Potential
Osmosis is a fundamental process in biology that plays a crucial role in the movement of water across cell membranes. This page explores the concept of water potential and its relationship to osmosis in various cellular environments.
Definition: Osmosis is the movement of water from an area of high water potential to an area of low water potential across a semi-permeable membrane.
The concept of water potential is central to understanding osmosis:
Vocabulary: Water potential is a measure of the tendency of water to move from one area to another, typically measured in kilopascals (kPa).
Pure, deionized water has a water potential of 0 kPa. Any solution containing dissolved solutes has a water potential less than 0 kPa. The more concentrated the solution, the lower (more negative) the water potential becomes.
Example: In a root hair cell, water may diffuse from a dilute solution with a water potential of -200 kPa to a more concentrated solution with a water potential of -500 kPa.
The page also introduces three important types of solutions that cells may encounter:
- Hypertonic solution: A solution with a lower water potential than the cell.
- Isotonic solution: A solution with equal water potential to the cell.
- Hypotonic solution: A solution with a higher water potential than the cell.
Highlight: The effects of these solutions on cells are significant. In a hypertonic solution, cells shrink (crenation in animal cells). In a hypotonic solution, cells swell and may burst (osmolysis or hemolysis in red blood cells). In an isotonic solution, cells maintain their shape.
The page concludes with an important note about the relationship between water and ion movement:
Quote: "You cannot move ions without moving water."
This statement underscores the interconnected nature of osmosis and ion transport in cellular processes.
We thought you’d never ask...
What is the Knowunity AI companion?
Our AI companion is specifically built for the needs of students. Based on the millions of content pieces we have on the platform we can provide truly meaningful and relevant answers to students. But its not only about answers, the companion is even more about guiding students through their daily learning challenges, with personalised study plans, quizzes or content pieces in the chat and 100% personalisation based on the students skills and developments.
Where can I download the Knowunity app?
You can download the app in the Google Play Store and in the Apple App Store.
Is Knowunity really free of charge?
That's right! Enjoy free access to study content, connect with fellow students, and get instant help – all at your fingertips.
Similar Content
Can't find what you're looking for? Explore other subjects.
Students love us — and so will you.
4.9/5
App Store
4.8/5
Google Play
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
I think it’s very much worth it and you’ll end up using it a lot once you get the hang of it and even after looking at others notes you can still ask your Artificial intelligence buddy the question and ask to simplify it if you still don’t get it!!! In the end I think it’s worth it 😊👍 ⚠️Also DID I MENTION ITS FREEE YOU DON’T HAVE TO PAY FOR ANYTHING AND STILL GET YOUR GRADES IN PERFECTLY❗️❗️⚠️
Thomas R
iOS user
Knowunity is the BEST app I’ve used in a minute. This is not an ai review or anything this is genuinely coming from a 7th grade student (I know 2011 im young) but dude this app is a 10/10 i have maintained a 3.8 gpa and have plenty of time for gaming. I love it and my mom is just happy I got good grades
Brad T
Android user
Not only did it help me find the answer but it also showed me alternative ways to solve it. I was horrible in math and science but now I have an a in both subjects. Thanks for the help🤍🤍
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
I found this app a couple years ago and it has only gotten better since then. I really love it because it can help with written questions and photo questions. Also, it can find study guides that other people have made as well as flashcard sets and practice tests. The free version is also amazing for students who might not be able to afford it. Would 100% recommend
Aubrey
iOS user
Best app if you're in Highschool or Junior high. I have been using this app for 2 school years and it's the best, it's good if you don't have anyone to help you with school work.😋🩷🎀
Marco B
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This app is phenomenal down to the correct info and the various topics you can study! I greatly recommend it for people who struggle with procrastination and those who need homework help. It has been perfectly accurate for world 1 history as far as I’ve seen! Geometry too!
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
I think it’s very much worth it and you’ll end up using it a lot once you get the hang of it and even after looking at others notes you can still ask your Artificial intelligence buddy the question and ask to simplify it if you still don’t get it!!! In the end I think it’s worth it 😊👍 ⚠️Also DID I MENTION ITS FREEE YOU DON’T HAVE TO PAY FOR ANYTHING AND STILL GET YOUR GRADES IN PERFECTLY❗️❗️⚠️
Thomas R
iOS user
Knowunity is the BEST app I’ve used in a minute. This is not an ai review or anything this is genuinely coming from a 7th grade student (I know 2011 im young) but dude this app is a 10/10 i have maintained a 3.8 gpa and have plenty of time for gaming. I love it and my mom is just happy I got good grades
Brad T
Android user
Not only did it help me find the answer but it also showed me alternative ways to solve it. I was horrible in math and science but now I have an a in both subjects. Thanks for the help🤍🤍
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
I found this app a couple years ago and it has only gotten better since then. I really love it because it can help with written questions and photo questions. Also, it can find study guides that other people have made as well as flashcard sets and practice tests. The free version is also amazing for students who might not be able to afford it. Would 100% recommend
Aubrey
iOS user
Best app if you're in Highschool or Junior high. I have been using this app for 2 school years and it's the best, it's good if you don't have anyone to help you with school work.😋🩷🎀
Marco B
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This app is phenomenal down to the correct info and the various topics you can study! I greatly recommend it for people who struggle with procrastination and those who need homework help. It has been perfectly accurate for world 1 history as far as I’ve seen! Geometry too!
Paul T
iOS user