Question

If there were no semi-permeable membrane, would water move from areas of low solute to

high as in osmosis or would the solute diffuse? Explain your thinking.

Answer 1

"In osmosis, water moves from areas of low concentration of solute to areas of high concentration of solute." ... So osmosis only occurs with a semipermeable membrane, and even with the membrane some water will move both sides. MORE water will move up the concentration gradient, thus there is a net flow up the gradient.