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Osmotic concentration. Osmotic concentration, formerly known as osmolarity, [1] is the measure of solute concentration, defined as the number of osmoles (Osm) of solute per litre (L) of solution (osmol/L or Osm/L). The osmolarity of a solution is usually expressed as Osm/L (pronounced "osmolar"), in the same way that the molarity of a solution ...
Plasma osmolality measures the body's electrolyte–water balance. [1] There are several methods for arriving at this quantity through measurement or calculation. Osmolality and osmolarity are measures that are technically different, but functionally the same for normal use. Whereas osmolality (with an "l") is defined as the number of osmoles ...
Osmosis is the movement of a solvent across a semipermeable membrane toward a higher concentration of solute. In biological systems, the solvent is typically water, but osmosis can occur in other liquids, supercritical liquids, and even gases. [11][12] When a cell is submerged in water, the water molecules pass through the cell membrane from an ...
Osmotic pressure is the minimum pressure which needs to be applied to a solution to prevent the inward flow of its pure solvent across a semipermeable membrane. [1] It is also defined as the measure of the tendency of a solution to take in its pure solvent by osmosis. Potential osmotic pressure is the maximum osmotic pressure that could develop ...
The van 't Hoff factor is the ratio between the actual concentration of particles produced when the substance is dissolved and the concentration of a substance as calculated from its mass. For most non- electrolytes dissolved in water, the van 't Hoff factor is essentially 1. For most ionic compounds dissolved in water, the van 't Hoff factor ...
The freezing point depression osmometer is an osmometer that is used in determining a solution's osmotic concentration as its osmotically active aspects depress its freezing point. In the past, freezing point osmometry has been used to assess the osmotic strength of colloids and solutions. The osmometer uses the solution's freezing point ...
Water potential quantifies the tendency of water to move from one area to another due to osmosis, gravity, mechanical pressure and matrix effects such as capillary action (which is caused by surface tension). The concept of water potential has proved useful in understanding and computing water movement within plants, animals, and soil.
Osmoregulation is the active regulation of the osmotic pressure of an organism's body fluids, detected by osmoreceptors, to maintain the homeostasis of the organism's water content; that is, it maintains the fluid balance and the concentration of electrolytes (salts in solution which in this case is represented by body fluid) to keep the body fluids from becoming too diluted or concentrated.