What Is Osmosis And Diffusion?

Osmosis and diffusion difference?

• I recall a question I saw about a potato that had been boiled so that there was no cell membrane and it was placed in water (which meant a higher water potential) I think. And then the question said would osmosis still occur? And the answer was no because there was no partially permeable membrane. But water molecules would still move across wouldn't they? So is it right to say that osmosis and the diffusion of water molecules are different because osmosis involves a partially permeable membrane, where as diffusion does not.

• Answer:

  I agree with you. By definition, osmosis is movement of water across a membrane. Water molecules will still move you just wouldn't call it osmosis.