osmosis

osmosis
The process by which solvent tends to move through a semipermeable membrane from a solution of lower to a solution of higher osmolal concentration of the solutes to which the membrane is relatively impermeable. [G. osmos, a thrusting, an impulsion]
- reverse o. movement of solvent in the opposite direction from o., i.e., pressure filtration of solvent through a semipermeable membrane that will hold back the solutes; commonly replaced by filtration or ultrafiltration when speaking of capillary membranes, as in the renal glomerulus.

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os·mo·sis äz-'mō-səs, äs- n, pl os·mo·ses -.sēz movement of a solvent through a semipermeable membrane (as of a living cell) into a solution of higher solute concentration that tends to equalize the concentrations of solute on the two sides of the membrane

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n.
the passage of a solvent from a less concentrated to a more concentrated solution through a semipermeable membrane. This tends to equalize the concentrations of the two solutions. In living organisms the solvent is water and cell membranes function as semipermeable membranes, and the process of osmosis plays an important role in controlling the distribution of water. The osmotic pressure of a solution is the pressure by which water is drawn into it through the semipermeable membrane; the more concentrated the solution (i.e. the more solute molecules it contains), the greater its osmotic pressure.
osmotic adj.

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os·mo·sis (oz-moґsis) (os-moґsis) [Gr. ōsmos impulsion] the diffusion of pure solvent across a membrane in response to a concentration gradient, usually from a solution of lesser to one of greater solute concentration. osmotic adj

Medical dictionary. 2011.

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  • osmosis — ósmosis ósmosis f. fisiol. Fenómeno por el que un líquido pasa a través de una membrana semipermeable cuando ambos medios tienen una concentración de solutos diferentes. Medical Dictionary. 2011. osmosis …   Diccionario médico

  • osmosis — ósmosis u osmosis ‘Intercambio de sustancias líquidas a través de una membrana semipermeable’. Aunque también se usa la forma llana osmosis, en la mayor parte del mundo hispánico se prefiere la forma esdrújula ósmosis. Lo mismo cabe decir de sus… …   Diccionario panhispánico de dudas

  • ósmosis — u osmosis ‘Intercambio de sustancias líquidas a través de una membrana semipermeable’. Aunque también se usa la forma llana osmosis, en la mayor parte del mundo hispánico se prefiere la forma esdrújula ósmosis. Lo mismo cabe decir de sus… …   Diccionario panhispánico de dudas

  • osmosis — ósmosis o osmosis (plural ósmosis) sustantivo femenino 1. Área: química Fenómeno de difusión entre dos soluciones a través de un tabique o membrana semipermeable que las separa, de ma nera que solamente algunos componentes pasan de una solución a …   Diccionario Salamanca de la Lengua Española

  • ósmosis — o osmosis (plural ósmosis) sustantivo femenino 1. Área: química Fenómeno de difusión entre dos soluciones a través de un tabique o membrana semipermeable que las separa, de ma nera que solamente algunos componentes pasan de una solución a otra. 2 …   Diccionario Salamanca de la Lengua Española

  • osmosis — os*mo sis ([o^]z*m[=o] s[i^]s), n. [NL., fr. Gr. wsmo s, equiv. to w^sis impulse, fr. wqei^n to push.] (Chemical Physics) (a) The tendency in fluids to mix, or become equably diffused, when in contact. It was first observed between fluids of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • osmosis — [äs mō′sis, äzmō′sis] n. [ModL, ult. < Gr ōsmos, impulse < ōthein, to push < IE base * wedh , to push, strike > Sans vádhar , deadly weapon] 1. the tendency of a solvent to pass through a semipermeable membrane, as the wall of a… …   English World dictionary

  • osmosis — osmosis. См. осмос. (Источник: «Англо русский толковый словарь генетических терминов». Арефьев В.А., Лисовенко Л.А., Москва: Изд во ВНИРО, 1995 г.) …   Молекулярная биология и генетика. Толковый словарь.

  • osmosis — noun absorption, assimilation, diffusion, digestion, engulfment, infiltration, ingress, interpenetration, introgression, passage, penetration, permeation, saturation, seepage, transmission Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • osmosis — 1867, originally endosmose (1830s) inward passage of a fluid through a porous septum, from Fr. endo inward + Gk. osmos a thrusting, a pushing, from othein to push, to thrust, from PIE *wedhe to push, strike (Cf. Skt. vadhati pushes, strikes,… …   Etymology dictionary

  • ósmosis — (Del gr. ὠσμός, acción de empujar, impulso, y sis). 1. f. Fís. Paso de disolvente pero no de soluto entre dos disoluciones de distinta concentración separadas por una membrana semipermeable. 2. Mutua influencia entre dos personas o grupos de… …   Diccionario de la lengua española

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