Osmosis is a natural process by which water flows into plant and animal cells, through cellular membranes, also known as semi-permeable membranes or osmotic membranes. These membranes have a unique property that pure water can freely flow in either direction, but passage of salt and other dissolved impurities are inhibited. Living cells contain salty solutions, which allows them to absorb water from their natural surroundings, through the osmotic process.
Osmotic pressure is a unique, natural property of all solutions. The osmotic pressure of a solution depends on the concentration of the salt and other dissolved materials. Suspended impurities like silt and bacteria do not contribute to osmotic pressure.
