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From: william@lorien.newcastle.ac.uk (William Coyne)
Newsgroups: sci.chem,sci.bio
Subject: osmosis - how is it caused?
Summary: what is the cause of osmosis on the atomic level.
Keywords: osmosis
Message-ID: <1990Oct22.110253.2277@newcastle.ac.uk>
Date: 22 Oct 90 11:02:53 GMT
Sender: news@newcastle.ac.uk
Organization: Chemical & Process Engineering Dept, University of Newcastle, UK.
Lines: 15

Osmosis & concentration gradients
I have read that osmosis is caused
by a concentration gradient with the number of water molecules building
up on the side of the membrane which has the highest concentration of the
salt.  Why is this?
 
Does it have something to do with the salt forming temporary weak bonds
with the water molecules, so on the side of the membrane with the higher
concentration fewer water molecules will be free to cross the membrane.
 
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