General Objective: For the Medical students to be Able to understand the concept of

Diffusion
Specific Objectives:
After finishing the experiment, the student will be able to:
A.) Understand the process of diffusion
B.) To determine the different factors affecting the rate of diffusion. By observing the
result.
C.) To determine the principal driving force concerning the process of diffusion.

1.1.1 DIFFUSION

Experiment Result: The diffusion of methylene blue crystals in cold water is slower
compared to it diffusion in warm water. Upon adding the crystals to the warm water,
diffusion was observed immediately. On the other hand, it took more time for the cold
water to diffuse the crystals. The more crystals were added on both the warm and cold
water, the longer time it took for them to diffuse however the rate of diffusion was still
faster in the warm water compared to the cold water. We also noticed that the direction
of diffusion was downwards.

QUESTIONS:

1. What is meant by diffusion?
- Diffusion is the process by which molecules move spontaneously from an
area of high concentration to one of low concentration.
2. What are the factors that affect the rate of diffusion?

a. Temperature Diffusion rates are higher at elevated temperature, and lower
when the temperature is decreased.
b. Size- The rate diffusion will be faster for small molecules than for large
molecules. Small molecules are able to pass through the polar heads of the
phospholipids and through the membrane to the other side. Very large
molecules such as proteins cannot diffuse across the membranes.
c. Diffusion Distance- The greater the distance over which diffusion will occur,
the longer it the diffusion takes.
d. Concentration of solutes - The greater the concentration of the solutes, the
longer the diffusion takes.
e. Surface Area- The larger the surface area, the faster the diffusion rate.

f. Molecular Mass of the Diffusing Substance
The larger the molecular mass of the diffusing particle, the slower its diffusion
rate.

3. What is the principal driving force of diffusion?
The concentration gradient is the principal driving force that acts on a molecule
to cause it to move across a membrane.