Movement across the cell membrane

Cell membranes are semi permeable, therefore allowing only certain molecules to pass
through them. Mechanisms across the cell membrane include:

1. Diffusion
2. Osmosis
3. Active transport

Diffusion

Diffusion is the movement of particles from a region of high concentration to a region of low
concentration. Eventually, the particles will become evenly spaced out.

Diffusion takes place in liquids and gases and can happen because in liquids and gases,
molecules move about in random motion, so e.g. if you place a drop of blue food colouring in a
beaker of water, the water molecules which are moving about will collide with the colour
molecules spreading them around the solution. Eventually, your beaker will contain a light
blue solution.

Diffusion rate depends on a number of factors. These include:

1. Temperature - at higher temperatures, molecules have a greater kinetic

energy so they move faster
2. Pressure - at higher pressures, more molecules of substance are present
3. Distance - the smaller the distance a substance will have to diffuse, the
faaster will equal concentrations be reached.
4. Concentration inside and outside the cell - The greater the concentration
gradient, the faster the diffusion rate.
5. Size of molecules or ions - Larger molecules will be pushed around more
slowly by aor molecules.

Importance of diffustion in living organisms

Living organisms obtain many of their requirements by diffusion. They also remove many of
their waste products in this way.

E.g.

1. Diffusion is important in gas exchange for respiration in animals and plants.

2. Some of the products of digestion are absorbed from the small intestine of
mammals by diffusion.
3. Carbon dioxide diffuses from the air into the leaves through the stomata to be
used for photosynthesis.
Osmosis

Osmosis is the movement of water from a dilute to a concentrated solution across a semi-
permeable membrane. Cell membranes are completely permeable to water, so this flows
freely across it. However, solute molecules cannot pass across it.

This means that when two solution of unequal concentration are separated by a semi-
permeable membrane, water will from from the side containing the dilute solution to the side
containing the concentrated solution. This results in a decrease in level of the weak solution
and an increase in level of the concentrated solution.

Osmosis in animal cells

Osmosis also takes places in animal cells. When e.g. red blood cells are placed in a
hypertonic solution (more concentrated) the cell loses water to its surroundings and shrivels
up. When placed in an isotonic (equal concentration) solution, no change takes place as there
is no net gain or loss of water. On the other hand, when placed in a hypotonic (more dilute)
solution, water is gained by the cell, so it expands, and since there is no cell wall, the cell
membrane alone is unable to withstand the pressure caused by the water inside the cell and
may even burst.

Osmosis in plant cells

When a plant cell is placed in an environment of pure water (hypotonic), water will pass into
the cell. The cell will swell but will not burst due to the rigid cell wall. The cell is now said to be
turgid. If on the otherhand, a plant cell is surrounded by a hypertonic solution, it will lose
water to its surroundings. In this calse, the cytoplasm will shrink away from the cell wall. This
is called plasmolysis. Wilting occurs when plants lose water to the atmosphere faster than
they can obtain it