Final answer:
Water moves via osmosis from an area with higher concentration of water to area with a lower concentration of water, through a semi-permeable membrane, to equalize solute concentrations on both sides.The correct answer is (A).
Step-by-step explanation:
Water moves via osmosis from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration. Specifically, osmosis is the movement of water across a semi-permeable membrane from an area with a lower concentration of solutes (which means a higher concentration of water) to an area with a higher concentration of solutes (lower concentration of water).
This process is driven by the tendency of the system to equalize solute concentrations on both sides of the membrane, making osmosis a special case of diffusion.
In biological systems, osmosis often involves the transport of water through aquaporins, which are specialized channels in cell membranes. When a cell is in a hypertonic solution (meaning the solution has a higher concentration of solutes than inside the cell), water will flow out of the cell until solute concentrations are balanced.
Conversely, in a hypotonic solution (where the external solution has a lower concentration of solutes), water will enter the cell. It's important to maintain a balance of solutes and water inside and outside cells to ensure normal function.