It is sometimes jokingly said that you could study for your biology test by placing your textbook under your pillow at night and thereby learn by osmosis, as the knowledge would flow from the book to your brain while you slept

Aside from the obvious absurdity of this claim, what is wrong with the use of the word "osmosis" in this context? How might you lose knowledge (if knowledge could actually flow along a concentration gradient between a book and a brain) if you tried this technique?


Osmosis specifically refers to the flow of water down a concentration gradient. You would be learning by diffusion, not osmosis. Not to mention the concern that if you had more knowledge in your brain than in the textbook, information might flow down the gradient out of your brain and into the book.

Biology & Microbiology

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systems.

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In humans, what is the sequence of fat digestion from the lumen of the small intestine to the bloodstream?

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Why do cells need buffering agents?

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Biology & Microbiology

Microsatellites and minisatellites are distinguished from each other by the number of repeats

Indicate whether the statement is true or false

Biology & Microbiology