The movement of water across a membrane from an area of low solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration is known as
(a) Osmosis
(b) Active transport
(c) Diffusion
(d) Facilitated transport
(e) Filtration

Verified step by step guidance

Step 1: Understand the key terms related to membrane transport. Water movement across a membrane is often driven by differences in solute concentration on either side of the membrane.

Step 2: Recall that osmosis specifically refers to the movement of water molecules through a selectively permeable membrane from an area of low solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration.

Step 3: Differentiate osmosis from other transport mechanisms: Active transport requires energy and moves substances against their concentration gradient; diffusion is the movement of solutes from high to low concentration; facilitated transport involves carrier proteins but does not specifically describe water movement; filtration is driven by pressure differences.

Step 4: Identify that the correct term describing water movement from low to high solute concentration is osmosis.

Step 5: Conclude that the answer to the question is (a) Osmosis, based on the definition and characteristics of water movement across membranes.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Osmosis

Osmosis is the passive movement of water molecules across a selectively permeable membrane from a region of low solute concentration to a region of high solute concentration. This process aims to equalize solute concentrations on both sides of the membrane without requiring energy.

Active Transport

Active transport is the energy-dependent movement of molecules or ions across a membrane against their concentration gradient. It requires cellular energy (ATP) and specific transport proteins to move substances from low to high concentration.

Diffusion

Diffusion is the passive movement of molecules from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration until equilibrium is reached. Unlike osmosis, diffusion involves solutes rather than water and does not require a membrane.

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