Imbibition |
Osmosis |
1. It involves the absorption water by a solid substance wihtout getting dissolved. |
1. It involves the movement of water or solvent from its higher chemical potential to lower chemical potential. |
2. It does not need semi-permeable membrane. |
2. A semi-permeable membrane is required in osmosis. |
3. Heat is produced |
3. Heat is not produced. |
4. It is due to presence of colloidal particles.
|
4. It requires the presence of solute particles in solution form.
|
1. In osmosis only water or solvent molecules diffuse from their higher concentration to lower concentration, while in diffusion all type of matter can diffuse i.e. diffusion of gases, solids as well as of liquids.
2. In osmosis diffusion of solvent molecules or water molecules occur through semipermeable membrane. In simple diffusion semipermeable membrane is not required.
Thus osmosis is a special case of diffusion in which only solvent or water molecule diffuse from low to high concentration through semipermeable membrane.