Final answer:
The correct term for the pressure a liquid exerts against the wall of its container is C. Hydrostatic pressure. Hydrostatic pressure is critical in processes like glomerular filtration in the kidneys, opposed by osmotic pressure, which is involved in reabsorption of fluids back into the capillaries.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct term for the pressure that a liquid exerts against the wall of its container is C. Hydrostatic pressure. Hydrostatic pressure is the pressure produced by a fluid against a surface. For example, in the human body, blood exerts hydrostatic pressure against blood vessel walls, and this pressure is opposed by osmotic pressure to determine net fluid movement and filtration processes such as in the glomerular filtration of the kidneys. Hydrostatic pressure is also a critical factor in determining the glomerular filtration rate (GFR), which is the rate at which blood is filtered in the glomeruli of the kidneys.
Osmotic pressure, on the other hand, is the pressure required to prevent the movement of water across a semipermeable membrane due to osmosis, driven by solute concentration gradients. The osmotic pressure plays a role in reabsorbing fluid back into the capillaries.
In summary, hydrostatic pressure is the force exerted by a fluid on the walls of its container or on any surface in contact with the fluid, as seen with blood in the circulatory system.