A student is designing an experiment to show the effects of the movement of water across a selectively permeable membrane. He places a highly concentrated saltwater solution into a bag that is permeable only to water. He then submerges the bag into a beaker of pure water. Which one of the following can be expected?
A) The net flow of water will be from the bag to the surrounding water.
B) The pH of the contents of the bag will increase over time.
C) The volume of the bag will decrease over time.
D) The net flow of water will be from the beaker into the bag, causing the contents of the bag to increase in volume.
E) In this situation, the flow of water into the bag will never equal the flow of water out of the bag.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The net flow of water will be from the beaker into the bag because water moves from an area of lower solute concentration (pure water) to an area of higher solute concentration (saltwater solution) through osmosis, causing the bag to increase in volume.

A Student Is Designing an Experiment to Show the Effects