GENERAL BIOLOGY 1

UNIT 3 | DIFFUSION AND OSMOSIS

OSMOSIS
DIFFUSION
Osmosis- is similar to diffusion.
Diffusion- involves the movement of However, osmosis refers to the
molecules in a solvent from an area of movement of water from higher to lower
higher solute concentration to an area concentration
of lower solute concentration which
eventually results in the state of
dynamic equilibrium.

SIMPLE DIFFUSION

● No energy required
● High to low concentration
● Passive transport
● Movement of molecules
● State of dynamic equilibrium

TONICITY

● ability of a surrounding
solution to cause a cell to gain
or lose water

● relative concentration of
solutes in fluids

FACILITATED DIFFUSION ● depends on the concentration

of solutes
Molecules such as ions and water
outside the cell are being transported ● can be isotonic, hypotonic, or
across the cell membrane through hypertonic
channel proteins via facilitated diffusion
GENERAL BIOLOGY 1
UNIT 3 | DIFFUSION AND OSMOSIS
ISOTONIC SOLUTION
is when water molecules move at the
same rate in both directions
● Solute molecules outside the
cell = solute molecules inside
the cell
HYPOTONIC SOLUTION
can cause the cell to swell or even
burst due to the intake of water more
than the cell can accommodate.
HYPERTONIC SOLUTION
has higher solute concentration and
has lower water concentration (i.e.,
more solute, less water)
● Solute molecules outside the
cell is greater than solute
molecules inside the cell
SUMMARY
● Diffusion is the movement of
molecules down their
concentration gradient, i.e.,
from an area of higher
concentration to an area of
lower concentration.
● A solution contains both the
solute, which is usually solid
and a solvent, which is usually
a liquid. A solute added in a
solvent will naturally diffuse to
form a solution.
● Diffusion is an example of
passive transport in which
molecules are moved across
the membrane without
spending energy.
●
GENERAL BIOLOGY 1
UNIT 3 | DIFFUSION AND OSMOSIS
● Facilitated diffusion involves
the movement of molecules
across the membrane but with
the aid of either channel or
carrier proteins. These
molecules are usually those
that cannot cross due to their
molecular size or chemical
nature.

● Osmosis is the diffusion of

water across a selectively
permeable membrane from
high to low concentration

- Isotonic- solutions
with an equal solute
concentration

- Hypotonic solution-
has a lower
concentration of
solutes than inside
the cell

- Hypertonic solution is
one with a higher
concentration of
solute outside of the
membrane.