Question

Substances tend to diffuse from higher to lower concentrations. So why is is that during osmosis, water moves from a lower solute concentration to a higher solute concentration?

Answer 1

Osmosis is the spontaneous net movement of solvent molecules via a semi-permeable membrane, not solute molecules.

It occurs into a region of higher solute concentration to the direction that leans to equalize the solute concentrations on the two sides.

But the solute will not move in osmosis due to presence of a semi-permeable membrane.

Then the solute concentrations on the two sides will equal by the solvent or water movement.

In osmosis moves water from high water concentration ( i.e. where there is much water ) to low water concentration or we can say that water moves from a lower solute concentration to a higher solute concentration. but here solute will not move. movement is only solvent or water.