Practical Uses of the Principles of Osmosis

Controlling Garden Pests

We can use salt to control some garden pest. Salt being deliquescent which means it dissolves easily and absorbs water readily, will dry out the skin of some animals such as slugs, snails and frogs. When this happens, the water molecules inside of the animal will move from a region of high water concentration, inside, to region of low water concentration, outside, as a result they become dehydrated and eventually die.

Preservation of Food Items

We use both sugar and salt to preserve food items. Both sugar and salt works in the similar ways to remove water molecules via osmosis. This makes water unavailable for chemical reactions to happen in the cell which causes decay. Without these reactions, food will not decay. They also draw water from microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi. These organisms are unable to grow thus they are unable to cause the decay.