Difusion and osmosis in living organisms:

1. What is difusion?
The movement of particles from a region of low concentration to a region of
high concentration.
The movement of particles from a region of high concentration to a region of
low concentration.
Active movement of particles requiring energy from respiration.
2. The diagram shows two cubes of potato, and !. "ne bea#er contains
concentrated sugar solution $. The other bea#er contains distilled
water, %. The cells in the potato cubes contain a dilute solution called
cell sap. a& 'fter one hour, cube will have:
gained more water than it lost
gained and lost equal amounts
lost more water than it gained
b& 'fter one hour, cube ! will
have:
gained more water than it lost
gained and lost equal amounts
lost more water than it gained
(. )ill the gaps with the right word missing. *ou might be given options in
brac#ets:
_______________ is the movement of molecules
from a region of high concentration to a region
of low concentration. Therefore, molecules
difuse down a _______________ gradient.
Materials like oxygen, caron dioxide and
glucose enter and leave cells y
_______________. !hen a cell is respiring the
concentration of oxygen and glucose inside the
cell is lower than the surrounding lood so
these sustances move _______________"into #
outside$ the cell. As caron dioxide is produced the concentration _______________"inside # outside$
the cell increases to a level higher than the surrounding lood, so caron dioxide difuses
_______________"into # out$ of the cell. %ell memranes are very thin to allow materials to difuse
through them easily.
_______________ is the movement of water molecules down a concentration gradient across a
partially _______________ memrane. A partially permeale memrane is a arrier that lets some
sustances through, not others. All cells in living organisims have contain a partially permeale
memrane, which is called _______________ memrane.
&n osmosis the chemicals that they let through is _______________. &f we put pure water on one side
of the memrane, and a chemical solution on the other, the _______________ will difuse from high
to low _______________ of water. &t goes from the pure water side "which is a high concentration of
water$ to the other side "where there is a lower concentration of water$. This put water into the
chemical solution side, making it more dilute. All the while a small amount of water is 'owing
ack the other way, due to random movement of molecules. (ut most movement is from pure
water into the solution, making it weaker. )ventually the concetrations on oth sides of the
_______________ are the same. Then, there is an equal 'ow of water in oth directions. !e have
reach equilirium.
_______________ is important to plants. &n the roots, water moves _______________ "out # into$ the
plant cells y osmosis, making them turgid or stif so that they are ale to hold the plant upright.