Definition
Osmotic pressure is the pressure required to prevent the flow of water across a semipermeable membrane. Imagine two solutions separated by a membrane ๐งช. Water tends to move from the dilute solution to the concentrated solution. Osmotic pressure is the force needed to stop this movement. It depends on the concentration difference between the solutions. Osmotic pressure is important in biological systems, such as cells. It's what keeps cells from bursting or shriveling up.