exosmosis

A scientist observes exosmosis in a plant cell under a microscope.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • Biological or chemical process: "exosmosis" refers to the outward passage of a fluid through a permeable membrane, typically from a region of lower concentration to higher concentration, or more generally, the flow of a substance out of a cell or system. It is the opposite of endosmosis.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • In plant cells, exosmosis occurs when the surrounding solution is hypertonic, causing water to leave the cell. (Water moves out through the cell membrane.)
  • The experiment demonstrated exosmosis as the salt solution drew water from the root cells. (Fluid exited the cells due to osmotic pressure.)

Advanced Usage

• "exosmosis in biology": the movement of water or solutes out of a cell or organism through a semipermeable membrane.

  • When a freshwater fish is placed in saltwater, exosmosis leads to dehydration. (Water leaves the fish's body.)

• "exosmosis in chemistry": the outward diffusion of a substance across a membrane in a laboratory setting.

  • The dialysis bag showed exosmosis of small molecules into the surrounding solution. (Small particles moved outward through the membrane.)

Variants and Related Words

• Exosmotic (adj): relating to or characterized by exosmosis.

  • The exosmotic flow was measured using a pressure gauge. (The outward flow through the membrane was quantified.)

• Endosmosis (n): the inward passage of a fluid through a permeable membrane (the opposite process).

  • Endosmosis and exosmosis are both types of osmosis. (These two processes describe movement in opposite directions.)

Synonyms

• Outward osmosis: a descriptive phrase for the same process.
• Effusion: the escape of a fluid through a membrane (though not specific to osmosis).

Related Idioms

• (No common idioms directly associated with "exosmosis" as it is a technical term.)