Diffusion

and
Osmosis
Diffusion

•  Particles in a liquid or gas

spread out…
•  … from regions of high
concentration…
•  … to regions of low
concentration…
•  …until the particles are Dissolving
evenly spread out. KMnO4
crystal
•  The difference between the regions of high
concentration and low concentration is called the
concentration gradient

•  The steeper the concentration gradient, the faster

diffusion takes place

High concentration gradient

Fast rate of diffusion

Low concentration gradient

Slow rate of diffusion

•  Diffusion occurs because the particles in
gases and liquids are moving.
Dissolving substances in water

•  The molecules in liquid water are constantly moving

•  When water molecules bump into particles of a soluble

substance, they stick to them
Free moving
water molecules

Sugar molecules
in sugar lump
•  When the water molecules move away…

… they carry particles of the solute with them

•  Adding a solute to water reduces the amount of free
water molecules

Free water
molecules

Solute
molecule
Partially-Permeable Membranes

•  A partially-permeable membrane will allow

certain molecules to pass through it, but not
others.
Partially permeable
•  Generally, small membrane
particles can pass
through…

…but large
particles
cannot
 Partially-permeable
More free water molecules membrane
on this side of membrane

Water-solute particle
is too large to pass
through membrane

Free water molecules diffuse in this direction

Osmosis

•  Osmosis is the diffusion of free water

molecules…
• … from a region of high concentration of
free water molecules…
•  … to a region of low concentration of free
water molecules…
•  …across a partially-permeable
membrane…
•  …until they are evenly spread out.
It  was  taken  from  h/p://sciencewithmsthomas.com/cells.php