Water balance in a flexible vesicle
A flexible membrane encloses a fixed amount of impermeant solute N in 1.0 mL water. Initially [N]inside = 200 mmol/L. The vesicle is placed in a very large bath containing 100 mmol/L impermeant solute M and 100 mmol/L urea. The membrane admits water and urea, but not N or M. Treat all solutes as non-dissociating, ignore hydrostatic pressure and volume occupied by solutes, and assume no rupture. Initially there is no internal urea. Water moves towards higher total solute concentration. At long-term equilibrium urea concentrations are equal on both sides and total solute concentrations also match.