Question

What is the importance of osmosis for plants and animals?

Answer 1

Osmosis occurs frequently in both plants and animals. Osmosis controls a number of functions in both plants and animals. Here are some of the most important.

1. Plant roots contain highly concentrated cell sap. Plants and trees use osmosis to absorb and transport water from the soil to their stems, leaves, and other parts.
2. Osmosis also regulates the growth of plants, leaves and flower stretching, seed germination, and other processes.
3. To quench their thirst, animals consume large amounts of water. Through osmosis, the water that the animals consume is absorbed by various body organs.
4. A 0.91% solution of pure sodium chloride (known as saline water) is isotonic with human red blood corpuscles (RBCs). In this solution, corpuscles neither swell nor shrink. Therefore, medicines are mixed with saline water before being injected into veins.