What is the Difference Between Osmosis and Plasmolysis?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The key difference between osmosis and plasmolysis lies in the movement of water molecules and the effect on plant cells:
- Osmosis is the movement of water molecules from a region of higher water potential to a region of lower water potential through a semi-permeable membrane. This process helps maintain the turgidity of plant cells and the movement of plant parts. There are two types of osmosis:
- Endosmosis: the inward diffusion of water through a semi-permeable membrane.
- Exosmosis: the outward diffusion of water through a semi-permeable membrane.
- Plasmolysis is the shrinkage of a cell due to the persisting movement of water molecules out of the cell. This process occurs when a plant cell is placed in a hypertonic solution, causing the cell membrane to detach from the cell wall and the cytoplasm to contract. Plasmolysis can be reversed by placing the cell in a hypotonic solution, which allows the cell to regain its normal size.
In summary, osmosis is the movement of water molecules across a semi-permeable membrane, while plasmolysis is the shrinkage of a cell due to the loss of water molecules.
On this pageWhat is the Difference Between Osmosis and Plasmolysis? Comparative Table: Osmosis vs Plasmolysis
Comparative Table: Osmosis vs Plasmolysis
Here is a table comparing the differences between osmosis and plasmolysis:
| Characteristic | Osmosis | Plasmolysis |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Osmosis is the movement of water molecules across a selectively permeable membrane from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration. | Plasmolysis is the shrinkage of cell cytoplasm due to water loss from the plant cell. |
| Process | Osmosis is a passive diffusion process that occurs in both plant and animal cells. | Plasmolysis occurs when a plant cell is placed in a hypertonic solution and loses water molecules from its cytoplasm. |
| Direction of Water Movement | Water moves from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration. | Water moves from the cell to the surrounding hypertonic solution. |
| Effect on Cell | Osmosis helps maintain the turgidity of a cell and contributes to the maintenance of cellular diffusion and turgor pressure. | Plasmolysis causes the cell membrane to shrink away from the cell wall, resulting in a plasmolyzed cell. |
| Occurrence | Osmosis is a general phenomenon that occurs in almost every type of cell, including plant cells. | Plasmolysis is a specific phenomenon that occurs in plant cells when they are placed in a hypertonic solution. |
In summary, osmosis is a process involving the movement of water molecules across a membrane, while plasmolysis is a phenomenon specific to plant cells that occurs when they lose water in a hypertonic solution.
Read more:
- Plasmolysis vs Deplasmolysis
- Plasmolysis vs Cytolysis
- Plasmolysis vs Hemolysis
- Crenation vs Plasmolysis
- Plasmolysis vs Turgidity
- Diffusion vs Osmosis
- Osmosis vs Diffusion in Biology
- Osmosis vs Dialysis
- Imbibition vs Osmosis
- Water Potential vs Osmotic Potential
- Isotonic vs Isosmotic
- Osmosis vs Active Transport
- Osmosis vs Reverse Osmosis
- Endosmosis vs Exosmosis
- Osmolality vs Osmolarity
- Molarity vs Osmolarity
- Isosmotic Hyperosmotic vs Hypoosmotic
- Hydration vs Hydrolysis
- Tonicity vs Osmolarity