Osmolarity

Osmolarity refers to the measure of solute concentration, defined as the number of solute particles per liter of solution. It is used in biology and chemistry to understand the properties of solutions and how they interact with each other. Osmolarity is a key factor in the process of osmosis, which is the movement of solvent molecules from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration.

Definition

Osmolarity is defined as the total concentration of all solute particles in a solution. It is expressed in terms of osmoles per liter (Osm/L). An osmole is a measure of the number of moles of solute that contribute to the osmotic pressure of a solution.

Measurement

Osmolarity can be measured using an osmometer, which determines the freezing point depression or boiling point elevation of a solution. The osmometer measures the concentration of all solutes in a solution, including those that may not contribute to osmotic pressure.

Clinical significance

In medicine, osmolarity is used to evaluate the body's water balance and to diagnose and monitor certain diseases. For example, the osmolarity of blood can be measured to determine if a person is dehydrated or overhydrated. High blood osmolarity can indicate dehydration, while low blood osmolarity can indicate overhydration.

See also

• Osmolality
• Osmotic pressure
• Tonicity
• Osmoregulation

References

Osmolarity Resources
Need Help Finding a Doctor? Need help finding a doctor or specialist anywhere in the world? Explore our world directory. WikiMD's DocFinder can assist you in locating millions of physicians.	Medical Knowledge Access the latest research - Most recent articles Ongoing trials.

Translate to: East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, Urdu, বাংলা, తెలుగు, தமிழ், ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, European español, Deutsch, français, русский, português do Brasil, Italian, polski