Dismiss Notice
Join Physics Forums Today!

Osmotic pressure=hydrostatic pressure in Ushaped tube

  1. Feb 4, 2015 #1
    osmotic pressure is the pressure required to stop the flow of solvent molecules due to osmosis.So in case of U shaped tube as in the image below hydrostatic pressure is the pressure which will stop the flow of solvent molecules due to osmosis. So hydrostatic pressure =osmotic pressure right?And if yes is it only in case of u-shaped tube?
  2. jcsd
  3. Feb 5, 2015 #2

    Quantum Defect

    User Avatar
    Homework Helper
    Gold Member

    Yes, the hydrostatic pressure balances the osmpotic pressure. This will occur in any set-up. Doesn't need to be u-shaped.

    You can also see the same thing with a sealed, porous (to solvent) bag with some solute placed in a pure solvent. The solvent will go from bath to bag (the chemical potential of the solvent in the bag is lower than the pure solvent), and molecules "want" to move from regions of high chemical potential to low. The bag will fill, and the pressure in the bag will increase until the pressure in the bag equals the osmotic pressure.

    A cell is just a semipermeable bag of solute. You can get cells to swell up and sometimes rupture by putting them into pure water.

Similar Discussions: Osmotic pressure=hydrostatic pressure in Ushaped tube
  1. Hydrostatic Pressure (Replies: 5)

  2. Hydrostatic pressure (Replies: 1)

  3. Osmotic pressure (Replies: 6)

  4. Hydrostatic pressure (Replies: 3)

  5. Hydrostatic pressure (Replies: 1)