Which kitchen process is an example of osmosis?

Question

Question

This question was previously asked in

RRB NTPC Graduate Level CBT-I Official Paper (Held On: 06 Jun, 2025 Shift 2)

Answer 1

The correct answer is Placing raw mango in a concentrated salt solution.

Key Points

Osmosis is the movement of water molecules through a semi-permeable membrane from a region of lower solute concentration to a region of higher solute concentration.
When raw mangoes are placed in a concentrated salt solution, water moves out of the mango due to the higher salt concentration outside, shrinking the mango tissue.
This process is commonly used for preserving raw mangoes, as the removal of water prevents microbial growth and spoilage.
The semi-permeable membrane in this case is the cellular membrane of the mango.
Osmosis is widely observed in food preservation techniques, especially in pickling and curing processes.

Additional Information

Diffusion vs Osmosis:
- Diffusion refers to the movement of molecules from an area of higher concentration to lower concentration, while osmosis specifically involves water molecules moving across a semi-permeable membrane.
Hypertonic Solution:
- A solution with a higher concentration of solutes compared to the inside of the cell. In the case of raw mango, the concentrated salt solution acts as a hypertonic solution.
Applications of Osmosis:
- Food preservation (e.g., pickling mangoes, curing meats).
- Water absorption in plants through roots.
- Maintaining balance in biological systems like kidney function.
Importance of Osmosis:
- Osmosis is essential for nutrient uptake in plants and animals.
- It plays a crucial role in maintaining cell turgidity and structure.