What makes a semipermeable membrane selective for one chemical species but not another?
A)The pores in the membrane select by size,they are big enough for water only.
B)The material is hydrophilic and therefore only allows water through.
C)The material is hydrophobic and therefore only allows water through.
D)The material chemically reacts with everything but water.
E)none of the above

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A semipermeable membrane is selective based on the size of the molecules it allows to pass through. The pores in a semipermeable membrane are typically small enough to only allow certain molecules or ions to pass through, while blocking others. In the case of a membrane that is selective for water, the pores are only large enough to allow water molecules to pass through, while larger molecules and ions are unable to pass.

What Makes a Semipermeable Membrane Selective for One Chemical Species