Cell Biology Interview Question:

What is the difference between osmosis and diffusion?

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Osmosis is the phenomenon of movement of solvent particles, in general water, from a region of lower solute concentration to a region of higher solute concentration. Diffusion, in the other hand, is the movement of solutes from a region of higher solute concentration to a region of lower solute concentration.

One can consider osmosis as movement of water (solvent) and diffusion as movement of solutes, both concentration gradient-driven.
Submitted by: Administrator