Assignment task: Please reply to the following discussion. Participate in the discussion by asking a question or providing a statement of clarification, providing a point of view with a rationale, challenging an aspect of the discussion, or indicating a relationship between two or more lines of reasoning in the discussion. No reference is required.
Neil D.
Electrolyte
I know an electrolyte has something to do with electrons in a solution. It is an important nutrient to people. If you look at the back of a sports drink you will sometimes see a part of the label for electrolytes. Substances that are dissolved in a solution through chemical or physical change to produce ions are electrolytes. Electrolytes are good conductors of electricity so they can show how electrical energy moves. Also how matter behaves at a molecular level and the interactions they have with other matter. There is a large difference between what the word is used for everyday and for chemistry. Some electrolytes are not safe to drink. Our bodies need electrolytes, just not all electrolytes help us. To be an electrolyte it must be a substance that breaks down in water to form ions. Lots of substances are electrolytes but our body only needs some electrolytes since some electrolytes serve other purposes.
Osmosis
I haven't learned about osmosis for years. Osmosis is the process in which a solution will go across a semipermeable membrane if the concentration on the other side is less than the pressure than the side with the solution. I don't think osmosis is talked about much in everyday life. The only example I can think of is when you place a fruit in water the juices inside will seep out and ruin the fruit. Osmosis is the diffusion driven transfer of solvent through a semipermeable membrane. It is similar to thermodynamics because the solute will move from high pressure to low pressure just like energy wants too. It will take the path of least resistance and will go until it reaches equilibrium. The similarities and differences are both the same where the solvent will move across a membrane depending on the pressure. Chemistry focuses on the movement of molecules and how they react to changes in pressure and concentration of the solute and solution.