Examples of Osmosis

Osmosis plays a significant role in plants, animals, and humans. These are some of the more common examples of osmosis:

• Plants absorb water and minerals from the soil through the roots. This occurs because soil has a higher water and mineral content than plant roots. 
• Immersing hands in water for an extended period causes the finger skin to wrinkle. The water inside the body is less concentrated so the skin absorbs water and expands resulting in a wrinkled look.  
• Guard cells in plants open due to osmosis. When plant cells absorb water and the water concentration increases, the guard cells well up and the stomata open. 
• Dried fruits placed in plain water swell because they have a low concentration of water and hence absorb water from outside.