FURTHER THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS OF MODES OF EXPRESSION AND FACTORS POSSIBLY CONCERNED IN THE MOVEMENT OF MATERIALS THROUGH A TWO-PHASED SOLUTION SYSTEM

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Abstract
The escaping tendencies, or tendencies toward movement, of either solute or water between 2 soln. phases of an osmometer should be recognized to be related to the differences of specific free energy or energy intensity of the components. Should a visual viewpoint of this process for pedagogical purposes be desirable, a restricted molecular kinetic theory of pressure may be invoked. Where real pressures are considered, pressure of soln., in accord with hydrostatic pressures or turgor only, seems quantitatively reasonable; in all other kinetic pressure cases, the solvent viewpoint seems reasonable for water, and the solute viewpoint for solute of solns., provided requisite limitations are recognized. In all cases, the first statement above is exact; all tendencies toward movement are expressed, completely and without limitation, in energy intensities (flux or diffusion intensities) of the constituent components. A comparison is made of the relative importance of several factors which influence the flux of materials across a limiting membrane interposed in a 2-phased system. Of these, solute concn. and pressure are of important magnitude to be generally considered. Temp. and surface factors generally do not appear to be capable of exerting significant influences under natural conditions. Galvanic effects are difficult of evaluation and their importance is a moot question.