Question

Osmosis is the process responsible for carrying nutrients and water from groundwater supplies to the upper parts of trees. The osmotic pressures required for this process can be as high as 20.1 atm. What would the molar concentration of the tree sap have to be to achieve this pressure on a day when the temperature is 24 C?

Express your answer to three significant figures and include the appropriate units.

Answer 1

0.825 M

Step-by-step explanation:

The osmotic pressure is a colligative property, that can be calculated using the following expression.

π = M × R × T

where,

π is the osmotic pressure

M is the molarity

R is the ideal gas constant

T is the absolute temperature (24°C + 273 = 297 K)

M = π / R × T = 20.1 atm / (0.08206 atm.L/mol.K) × 297 K = 0.825 M