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A process in which large molecules, such as proteins and starch, and small molecules, such as amino acids, glucose, and salts, are separated by selective diffusion through a semipermeable membrane. For example, a mixture of starch and glucose molecules in solution can be separated by placing them in a semipermeable dialysis tube made, for example, of cellophane, which is immersed in a container of distilled water. The large starch molecules remain in the dialysis tube and the small glucose molecules pass out through the membrane and can be detected in the water in the container.
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