What is the main characteristic of osmosis?

The main characteristic of osmosis is the movement of water across a semi-permeable membrane. This process is driven by the concentration gradient of solutes, where water moves from a region of lower solute concentration to a region of higher solute concentration. The goal of osmosis is to achieve equilibrium, balancing the concentrations of solute on both sides of the membrane.

Understanding osmosis is crucial in many agricultural practices, as it plays a vital role in plant water uptake, nutrient transport, and overall plant health. In the context of agricultural systems, osmosis helps maintain turgor pressure in plant cells, which is essential for keeping plants upright and healthy.

While the other options address relevant concepts in biology and agriculture, they do not accurately define osmosis. The movement of solutes across a membrane pertains more to diffusion, active transport refers to the energy-driven process of moving substances against a concentration gradient, and nutrient absorption involves different mechanisms that are not specific to the movement of water.