What is osmosis?

Osmosis is when water moves through a membrane from where it’s more to where it’s less.

Imagine you have two cups connected by a straw, one full of juice and the other empty. The straw acts like a membrane, letting only water pass through, not the juice. Over time, the water from the empty cup will move into the juice cup until both sides are balanced. That’s what happens in osmosis, water moves to balance things out.

Think about your skin when you go swimming. If you stay in the pool for a long time, your skin might get wrinkly. That’s because water is moving into your skin through the membrane of your cells, making them swell up, just like how the empty cup fills up with water.

Osmosis helps plants drink water from the soil and lets your cells stay healthy by keeping things balanced inside you. It's like a little helper that works quietly in your body and all around you!