(1) Definition : The osmotic pressure is defined as the excess mechanical pressure required to be applied to a solution separated by a semipermeable membrane from pure solvent or a dilute solution to prevent the osmosis or free passage of the solvent molecules at a given temperature. The osmotic pressure is a colligative property.
Osmosis and osmotic pressure
(2) Explanation : Consider an inverted thistle funnel on the mouth of which a semipermeable membrane is firmly fastened. It is filled with the experimental solution and immersed in a solvent like water. As a result, solvent molecules pass through the membrane into the solution in the funnel causing rising of level in the arm of thistle funnel. This increases the hydrostatic pressure. At a certain stage this rising level stops indicating an equilibrium between the rates of flow of solvent molecules from solvent to solution and from solution to solvent. The hydrostatic pressure at this stage represents osmotic pressure of the solution in the thistle funnel.
