Use your knowledge of the movement of water to explain why honey has antibacterial properties

Honey has a lower water potential than the water inside bacterial cells due to its high ionic content.Water moves by osmosis from areas of higher water potential to areas of lower water potential.Therefore, water will move out of bacterial cells and into the honey.This causes the bacterial cells to dehydrate and they die.This is an example of a more applied type of biology exam question that A level students can expect. The key markscheme points are underlined.

SS
Answered by Sanskriti S. Biology tutor

3989 Views

See similar Biology A Level tutors

Related Biology A Level answers

All answers ▸

Briefly describe the mechanism of muscle contraction.


What is co-transport and why do I sometimes hear it being called active transport?


(Substrate) is hydrolysed by (Enzyme). Explain why (Enzyme) catalyses only this reaction. (3 Marks)


In what circumstances and how do humans anaerobically respire?


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2026 by IXL Learning