Semipermeable membrane
Semipermeable Membrane
A Semipermeable Membrane (/ˌsɛmiˈpɜːrmiəbəl ˈmɛmbreɪn/; from Latin semi- meaning 'half', permeare meaning 'to pass through', and membrana meaning 'skin, membrane') is a type of biological or synthetic, polymeric membrane that will allow certain molecules or ions to pass through it by diffusion and occasionally specialized "facilitated diffusion".
Definition
The semipermeable membrane is a thin layer of material capable of separating substances when a driving force is applied across the membrane. It is designed to restrict the passage of certain, typically larger or charged, molecules while allowing smaller or non-charged molecules to pass through.
Function
In biological systems, semipermeable membranes are crucial for the function of cells, the basic unit of life. The cell membrane is a semipermeable membrane that separates the cell from the external environment and allows the passage of certain necessary substances such as oxygen and nutrients into the cell, and waste materials out of the cell.
Applications
Semipermeable membranes are also used in various engineering applications, such as in the process of reverse osmosis. In reverse osmosis, a semipermeable membrane is used to remove ions, unwanted molecules and larger particles from drinking water.
Related Terms
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Semipermeable membrane
- Wikipedia's article - Semipermeable membrane
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski