What would happen if the cellophane was replaced by the following in the above experiment?

(a) A rubber sheet is impermeable, so water molecules cannot pass through it. No osmosis will take place and the level of the sugar solution in the thistle funnel will not rise.

(b) A muslin cloth is freely permeable, so both water and sugar molecules can pass through it in either direction. Osmosis will not take place; the sugar solution will simply diffuse out into the beaker and the level in the thistle funnel will not rise.