Water Balance in Organisms
Learning Objective
I can describe how organisms maintain homeostasis through water regulation.
Key Concepts
In osmosis, water moves through a semi-permeable membrane from areas of high water concentration to areas of low water concentration, or from areas of low solute concentration to areas of high solute concentration.
A solution that is hypertonic has a higher solute concentration compared to another solution, while a hypotonic solution has a lower solute concentration; an isotonic solution has an equal concentration.
Water potential is calculated by adding pressure potential and solute potential, and water moves to areas of lower water potential.
Practice Questions
This lesson includes 5 practice questions to reinforce learning.
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1. Explain in your own words how osmosis helps plants obtain water from the soil.
2. What does it mean for a solution to be isotonic to blood plasma, and why is it important for IV fluids to be isotonic?
3. Which of the following statements best describes the movement of water in osmosis?
...and 2 more questions
Educational Video
Osmosis and Water Potential (Updated)
Amoeba Sisters