11/4/2019 Osmotic Pressure - Definition, Formula, Examples, Solved Exercises

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Chemistry (/chemistry/) >  Chemistry Articles (/chemistry/articles/) >  Osmotic Pressure Equation (/chemistry/osmotic-pressure-equation/)

Osmotic Pressure

What is Osmotic Pressure?

Osmotic pressure can be de ned as the minimum pressure that must be applied to a solution to halt the ow of solvent molecules
through a semipermeable membrane (osmosis). It is a colligative property (https://byjus.com/chemistry/colligative-properties/)
and is dependent on the concentration of solute particles in the solution. Osmotic pressure can be calculated with the help of the
following formula:
π = iCRT
Where,
π is the osmotic pressure
i is the van’t Hoff factor (https://byjus.com/chemistry/vant-hoff-factor-equation-abnormal-molar-mass/)
C is the molar concentration of the solute in the solution
R is the universal gas constant
T is the temperature
This relationship between the osmotic pressure of a solution and the molar concentration of its solute was put forward by the Dutch
chemist Jacobus van’t Hoff. It is important to note that this equation only holds true for solutions that behave like ideal solutions.

Understanding Osmotic Pressure – What is Osmosis?

The term ‘osmosis’ refers to the movement of solvent molecules through a semipermeable membrane from a region where the
solute concentration is low to a region where the solute concentration is high. Eventually, an equilibrium is established between the
two sides of the semipermeable membrane (equal solute concentration on both sides of the semipermeable membrane).
Important note: The semipermeable membrane only allows the movement of solvent molecules through it – solute particles cannot
pass through it.
If su cient pressure is applied to the solution side of the semipermeable membrane, the process of osmosis is halted. The
minimum amount of pressure required to nullify the process of osmosis is called osmotic pressure.

Osmotic Pressure
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11/4/2019 Osmotic Pressure - Definition, Formula, Examples, Solved Exercises

In the illustration provided above, it can be observed that the solvent molecules tend to pass through the semipermeable membrane
into the solution side until the osmotic pressure (of the solution) is applied to the solution side.

What Happens when Pressure of Higher Magnitude than the Osmotic Pressure is Applied to the Solution Side?
In such a scenario, the solvent molecules would start moving through the semipermeable membrane from the solution side (where
the solute concentration is high) to the solvent side (where the solute concentration is low). This process is called reverse osmosis
(https://byjus.com/chemistry/what-is-reverse-osmosis-process/) (click the hyperlink to learn more about it!).

Examples and Applications
 Plants maintain their upright shape with the help of osmotic pressure. When su cient water is supplied to the plant, its cells (which
contain several salts) absorb water and expand. This expansion of plant cells increases the pressure exerted on their cell walls,
causing them to stand upright.
When insu cient water is supplied to the plant, its cells become hypertonic (they shrink due to loss of water). This causes them to
wilt and lose their rm, upright posture. The measurement of osmotic pressure can also be used to determine molecular weights of
compounds.
Another important application of osmotic pressure is in the desalination and puri cation of seawater, which involves the process of
reverse osmosis.

Summary
The ow of solvent molecules through a semipermeable
What is osmosis?
membrane.

A membrane which only allows solvent molecules to ow

What is a semipermeable membrane?
through it.
From the solvent side to the solution side (from the region of
What is the direction of solvent ow? low solute concentration to the region of high solute
concentration).

What is osmotic pressure? The pressure that must be applied to halt osmosis.

On the solution side of the semipermeable membrane (high

Where must the osmotic pressure be applied?
solute concentration).

What is the formula for osmotic pressure? π = iCRT

Solved Exercises
Exercise 1
One mole of table salt is dissolved in one litre of water. At a temperature of 27oC, what would be the osmotic temperature of this
solution?
The molar concentration of table salt (sodium chloride) in the solution = 1mol/1litre = 1M
Since salt (NaCl) dissociates into two ions, the value of the van’t Hoff factor here is 2. Converting 27oC to the Kelvin scale, the
required temperature becomes 300K.
Therefore, the osmotic pressure of the solution is:
π = (2) * (1 mol.L-1) * (0.0821 atm.L. mol-1.K-1) (300 K)
π = 49.26 atm.
The osmotic pressure of the 1M salt solution is 49.26 atmospheres at a temperature of 27oC.

Exercise 2
The osmotic pressure of a potassium chloride solution (at 300K) is 50 atmospheres. What is the molar concentration of
potassium chloride in this solution?
Rearranging the osmotic pressure equation, the following equation can be obtained:
π = iCRT ; C = π/(iRT)
Here, the value of i is 2 (since KCl dissociates into two ions). Therefore, the molarity of KCl is:
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C = (50 atm)/(2)*(0.0821 atm.L.mol-1.K-1)*(300K)
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11/4/2019 Osmotic Pressure - Definition, Formula, Examples, Solved Exercises

C = 50/49.26 M = 1.015 M
Therefore, the molar concentration of potassium chloride in the solution is 1.015 M.
To learn more about osmotic pressure and other colligative properties (such as boiling point elevation
(https://byjus.com/chemistry/elevation-boiling-point/)), register with BYJU’S and download the mobile application on your
smartphone.

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