Saturday, January 14, 2012

What is the relationship between osmosis and turgor pressure?

Turgor pressure is the pressure in plants created by either an excess or lack of water. If there is lots of water and the cell membrane is bulging to the max, then the cell is turgid. If there is very little water and the cell membrane is shrinking away, then the cell is flaccid. Osmosis, being the diffusion of water, is the main way that plants can increase or decrease their turgor pressure. Turgor pressure will increase if the solution outside the cell is HYPOTONIC, meaning that the solute concentration outside the cell is lower than inside (like distilled water surrounding a cell). Turgor pressure will decrease if the solution outside the cell is HYPERTONIC, meaning that the solute concentration outside the cell is higher than inside (like salt water surrounding a cell). Plasmolysis is just when a plant cell's membrane shrinks away from the cell wall and causes it to shrivel.

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