Question

If pure water is separated from a 0.1 M solution in an open, U-shaped tube by a membrane impermeable to the solute, what will happen?

A. All the water will diffuse to the solution side.
B. Water will diffuse to the solution side until the pressure potential due to a higher water column is equal, but opposite in sign, to the osmotic potential.
C. Water will move to the 0.1 M solution side until the concentrations are equal on both sides of the membrane.
D. Water will diffuse toward the solution side until a piston pushes it back at an equal rate.
E. Solute in the solution will diffuse to the pure water side until equilibrium is reached.

Answer 1

Water will move to the 0.1 M solution side until the concentrations are equal on both sides of the membrane.

Step-by-step explanation:

Osmosis is the diffusion of water through a semipermeable membrane from an area of high water concentration to an area of low water concentration. In this scenario, if pure water is separated from a 0.1 M solution by a membrane impermeable to the solute, water will move to the 0.1 M solution side until the concentrations are equal on both sides of the membrane. This process will continue until the concentration gradient of water goes to zero or until the hydrostatic pressure of the water balances the osmotic pressure. Therefore, option C, "Water will move to the 0.1 M solution side until the concentrations are equal on both sides of the membrane," is the correct answer.