Final answer:
Osmosis and diffusion are vital to cellular processes, with osmosis being a subset of diffusion that specifically involves the movement of water across a semi-permeable membrane to balance solute concentrations.
Step-by-step explanation:
Diffusion and osmosis are both processes vital to cell function and share a similar mechanism in that they allow substances to move from areas of high concentration to areas of low concentration. The key difference is that osmosis specifically refers to the movement of water through a semi-permeable membrane and is influenced by the concentration of solutes in the water. During osmosis, water moves to equalize solute concentrations on both sides of the membrane, often facilitated by proteins called aquaporins.
Diffusion happens in both living and nonliving systems and can involve various substances, including gases and small uncharged molecules. For example, oxygen and carbon dioxide use simple diffusion to move into and out of cells. On the other hand, osmotic pressure is demonstrated when cells are immersed in sugar solutions, causing water to move across the cell membrane to achieve balance.
Osmosis is crucial for maintaining cellular integrity and adapting to changes in solute composition outside the cell. In medical treatments, such as when soaking a swollen ankle in Epsom salt, controlled osmosis can also have therapeutic effects. Both diffusion and osmosis are forms of passive transport, which means they do not require energy to occur.