Osmotic pressureMeasure of the tendency of a solution to take in pure solvent by osmosis Osmosis in a U-shaped tube Osmotic pressure is the minimum pressure which needs to be applied to a solution to prevent the inward flow of its pure solvent across a semipermeable membrane. Potential osmotic pressure is the maximum osmotic pressure that could develop in a solution if it was not separated from its pure solvent by a semipermeable membrane.
Fluid balanceFluid balance is an aspect of the homeostasis of organisms in which the amount of water in the organism needs to be controlled, via osmoregulation and behavior, such that the concentrations of electrolytes (salts in solution) in the various body fluids are kept within healthy ranges.
OsmosisOsmosis (, US also ) is the spontaneous net movement of solvent molecules through a selectively permeable membrane from a region of high water potential (region of lower solute concentration) to a region of low water potential (region of higher solute concentration), in the direction that tends to equalize the solute concentrations on the two sides.
HomeostasisState of steady internal conditions maintained by living thingsIn biology, homeostasis (in British English also homoeostasis) is the process by which living organisms maintain relatively stable internal physical and chemical conditions despite changes in their internal or external environment.
OsmoreceptorAn osmoreceptor is a sensory receptor primarily found in the hypothalamus of most homeothermic organisms that detects changes in osmotic pressure. Osmoreceptors can be found in several structures, including two of the circumventricular organs – the vascular organ of the lamina terminalis, and the subfornical organ. They contribute to osmoregulation, controlling fluid balance in the body. Osmoreceptors are also found in the kidneys where they also modulate osmolality.
Solution (chemistry)In chemistry, a solution is defined by IUPAC as "A liquid or solid phase containing more than one substance, when for convenience one (or more) substance, which is called the solvent, is treated differently from the other substances, which are called solutes. When, as is often but not necessarily the case, the sum of the mole fractions of solutes is small compared with unity, the solution is called a dilute solution."
ConcentrationIn chemistry, concentration is the abundance of a constituent divided by the total volume of a mixture. Several types of mathematical description can be distinguished: mass concentration, molar concentration, number concentration, and volume concentration. The concentration can refer to any kind of chemical mixture, but most frequently refers to solutes and solvents in solutions.
Body fluidBody fluids, bodily fluids, or biofluids, sometimes body liquids, are liquids within the body of an organism. In lean healthy adult men, the total body water is about 60% (60–67%) of the total body weight; it is usually slightly lower in women (52–55%). The exact percentage of fluid relative to body weight is inversely proportional to the percentage of body fat. A lean 70 kg (150 lb) man, for example, has about 42 (42–47) liters of water in his body.
WaterNames Preferred IUPAC nameWaterSystematic IUPAC nameOxidane (not in common use)Other names Hydrogen oxideHydrogen hydroxide (H2O or HOH)Hydroxylic acidDihydrogen monoxide (DHMO) (parody name)Dihydrogen oxideHydric acidHydrohydroxic acidHydroxic acidHydroxoic acidHydrolμ-Oxidodihydrogenκ-Hydroxylhydrogen(0)AquaNeutral liquidOxygen dihydride (may be considered incorrect)Identifiers CAS Number7732-18-53D model (JSmol)Interactive imageBeilstein Reference3587155 ChEBICHEBI:15377ChEMBLChEMBL1098659ChemSpider937DrugBankDB09145ECHA InfoCard100.028.902EC Number231-791-2Gmelin Reference117 KEGGC00001PubChemCID962RTECS numberZC0110000UNII059QF0KO0RCompTox Dashboard(EPA)DTXSID6026296InChIInChI=1S/H2O/h1H2Key: XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-NSMILESOProperties Chemical formulaH2OMolar mass18.015 g·mol Appearance Almost colorless or white crystalline solid, almost colorless liquid, with a hint of blue, colorless gas OdorOdorless DensityLiquid (1 atm, VSMOW):0.99984283(84) g/mL at 0 °C0.99997495(84) g/mL at 3.983035(670) °C (temperature of maximum density, often 4 °C)0.99704702(83) g/mL at 25 °C0.96188791(96) g/mL at 95 °CSolid:0.9167 g/mL at 0 °CMelting point0.00 °C (32.00 °F; 273.15 K) Boiling point99.98 °C (211.96 °F; 373.13 K) SolubilityPoorly soluble in haloalkanes, aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, ethers.
ElectrolyteAn electrolyte is a substance that conducts electricity through the movement of ions, but not through the movement of electrons. This includes most soluble salts, acids, and bases, dissolved in a polar solvent like water. Upon dissolving, the substance separates into cations and anions, which disperse uniformly throughout the solvent. Solid-state electrolytes also exist. In medicine and sometimes in chemistry, the term electrolyte refers to the substance that is dissolved.
OrganismAn organism is any living thing that functions as an individual. Such a definition raises more problems than it solves, not least because the concept of an individual is also difficult. Several criteria, few of which are widely accepted, have been proposed to define what constitutes an organism. Among the most common is that an organism has autonomous reproduction, growth, and metabolism. This would exclude viruses, even though they evolve like organisms.
Salt (chemistry)In chemistry, a salt or ionic compound is a chemical compound consisting of an assembly of positively charged ions (cations) and negatively charged ions (anions), which results in a compound with no net electric charge. The constituent ions are held together by electrostatic forces termed ionic bonds. The component ions in a salt can be either inorganic, such as chloride (Cl), or organic, such as acetate (CH3COO).*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.