Accurate and Inaccurate Conceptions About Osmosis That Accompanied Meaningful Problem Solving

School science and mathematics
By Zuckerman, June Trop
“Accurate and Inaccurate Conceptions About Osmosis That Accompanied Meaningful Problem Solving”
Publisher: ProQuest Central
5/94
Pp. 226-234
1994

Type: Empirical
Data collection method:
Number of subjects, range: Medium — 11-30
Grade and age of subjects: 9th-12 grade — under 17-18 years

• Water teleologically/anthropomorphically osmoses to equalize either the amounts or concentrations of water.
•  Different amounts of water across the membrane, rather than different concentrations, drive osmosis.
• Water cannot osmose against a pressure gradient.
•  The rate of osmosis is constant.
• Water molecules cease moving across the membrane at osmotic equilibrium.
•  The hydrostatic pressures across the membrane must be equal at osmotic equilibrium.
• The amounts of water across the membrane must be equal at osmotic equilibrium.
• The concentrations of water across the membrane must be equal at osmotic equilibrium.