Question

A student placed a semi-permeable membrane inside a U-shaped channel with two chambers, A and B. The membrane permits the movement of water but not solute. The student wants to vary the rate of osmosis that occurs across the membrane. Which of the following experimental design will result in the fastest rate of water moving into chamber A?

a. Increase the solute concentration in chamber A
b. Increase the solute concentration in chamber B
c. Decrease the temperature of the solution in chamber A
d. Increase the temperature of the solution in chamber B

Answer 1

Increasing the temperature of the solution in chamber B would likely result in the fastest rate of water moving into chamber A through osmosis, as higher temperatures boost the kinetic energy of water molecules and thus increase the rate of diffusion.

Step-by-step explanation:

To achieve the fastest rate of water movement into chamber A through osmosis, increasing the temperature of the solution in chamber B can be an effective method. Osmosis is the movement of water across a semi-permeable membrane from an area of higher water concentration to one of lower water concentration, which is inversely proportional to the solute concentration.

Higher temperatures increase the kinetic energy of water molecules, resulting in a faster diffusion rate including the process of osmosis. Therefore, warming the solution in chamber B would increase the rate at which water moves across the membrane into chamber A, aiming to equalize the solute concentration on both sides of the membrane. Membrane permeability, solute concentration, and temperature are key factors that can affect the rate of osmosis across a semi-permeable membrane.