Osmosis

By Dr. Ingrid Waldron, Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, CC-BY-NC 4.0.

This activity provides a sequence of learning activities designed to optimize student learning and understanding of osmosis by beginning with a student investigation of osmosis at the macroscopic level and then moving to analyzing osmosis at the molecular and cellular levels.¹ In Part I, "What is happening to these eggs?" students observe and analyze the effects of osmosis on eggs. In Part II, "Osmosis – Effects on Animal and Plant Cells", analysis and discussion questions introduce students to a molecular and cellular understanding of osmosis and challenge students to apply their understanding of osmosis to several real-world phenomena.