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The movement of substances through the plasma
membrane involves several processes. These include
passive transport or diffusion (simple and facilitated),
active transport and bulk transport (phagocytosis,
pinocytosis). Diffusion is the spontaneous movement of
molecules of different substances. It results from the
kinetic energy of the molecules. The movement of
molecules is from the region of higher concentration to
a region of lower concentration. The process continues
until the substance is equally distributed throughout the
MEMBRANE medium.
Osmosis is a special form of diffusion. It is the
TRANSPORT movement of water from a dilute solution (hypoosmotic)
to a more concentrated (hyperosmotic) one through a
semi permeable or selectively permeable membrane.
This type of membrane allows only certain molecules to
pass through. The process of diffusion of crystalloid
solute through such membrane on the other hand, is
known as dialysis.
This activity will familiarize the students with the
transport processes occurring within the cell.
Materials
Procedure
A. DIFFUSION
Part 1
1. Obtain a clean glass tube. Clamp the tube horizontally to an iron stand.
2. Place a small piece of cotton ball in each end of the tube. The cotton must fill the
ends of the tube completely. Do not stuff the tube too full.
3. With a partner, simultaneously place 10 drops of 1M HCl (MW Cl=35) on the cotton
on one end of the tube and 10 drops of NH4OH (MW NH4+= 18) on the cotton at the
other end of the tube. Allow the cotton to be saturated. CAUTION : Do not spill
the chemicals, they may cause severe burns and may damage clothing. If
spilled on oneself or another person, flood the affected area with and inform
the teacher.
4. Observe the tube for a white ring that forms on the inside of the tube.
5. With a ruler, measure the distance from each end of the tube to the white ring.
Record your data in centimeter.
6. Rinse the tube with water and dispose the cotton in the designated container.
Part 2
1. Obtain a petri dish containing agar. Using a cork borer, carefully punch three holes
in the agar (Figure 1).
Note : The molecular weight of Congo red is 697, methylene blue is 319 and potassium
permanganate is 158.
3. After 30 minutes, examine the petri dish. Measure the diameters of the colored
rings around the holes in millimeters. Record your data on the Activity Sheet
1. Fill a beaker with half full of tap water. Place the thermometer into the beaker and
heat the water until the temperature is 50oC.
2. Fill another beaker about half full of ice water. Record the temperature.
3. Place both beakers in an area where they will not be disturbed. Slowly add same
amount (one crystal) of potassium permanganate in each beaker.
4. Over the next 30 minutes, observe the changes in the distribution of potassium
permanganate in each beaker.
1. Fill one third of a 50 ml beaker with water. Then add 4 drops of IKI solution. Set
aside.
2. Obtain cellulose sac. Fill the sac with 1% starch solution. Securely tie the end of
the sac with a string.
3. Rinse the outside part of the sac under the tap. Make sure there are no
traces of starch outside the cellulose sac.
5. Let stand for 20 minutes. Then check for any changes in color.
B. OSMOSIS
4. Wipe off excess water or solution from the sacs and weigh each sac using an
analytical balance. DO IT QUICKLY. Record the initial weight of each bag.
5. Fill 4 - 250 ml beakers with 2/3 full of distilled water. Fill one beaker with 2/3 full of
1M sucrose solution.
6. Immerse sacs 1-4 in separate beaker of distilled water, and sac 5 in a beaker of 1M
sucrose.
8. After 30 minutes, remove the sac from each beaker; wipe off excess water and
weigh. Record the weight as final weight.
10. Graph the change in weight against the concentration of the sucrose.
Osmosis and Red Blood Cells
This part of the activity will allow the students to observe osmosis in Red Blood
Cells. One student per group will be asked to give blood for observation.
1. Clean and dry three slides and three coverslips. Label the slides 0.9% NaCl, DW
and 5% NaCl.
2. Wash hands and prepare the sterile lancet or the pricking device
3. Choose either the middle finger or the ring finger of the non-dominant hand and
gently massage the finger from the base to the tip several times.
4. Wipe fingertip with alcohol swab. Dry thoroughly before pricking.
5. Position lancet opening against the fingertip and press the release lever until it
clicks.
6. Gently squeeze the finger from the base to obtain large drop of blood. Apply the
drop onto the labeled slides.
7. Put a drop of the respective solution on each slide. Mix the blood and the solution
with a toothpick, and place a coverslip. Examine the size and shape of the cells
under high power objective. DO NOT ALLOW THE SOLUTIONS TO DRY UP. This
will change their concentrations.
8. Compare the appearance of the cells on slides A, B and C.
References
Bailey, P.C., Hollman, D.C, Quarles, T. S. and Waits, E. D. 1970. Laboratory Guide
for An Introduction to Modern Biology. International Textbook Co. 111-118.
Feldman, S. 1965. Experiments in Biological Design. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc.
USA 95-96.
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/webwise/spinners/life/osmosis.htm.
http://ekcsk12.org/science/lelab/membraneslab 1.htm1
http://www.accessexcellence.org/atg/data/released/0081-JeffLukens/index.htm1
http://biology.arizona.edu/sciconn/lessons/mccandless/
reading.htm1
Activity 3
Cell Transport
Name __________________________________ Date Performed______________________
Course/Section___________________________ Date Submitted ______________________
Instructor ________________________________
1. What compounds are formed upon the reaction of HCl and NH4OH?
Part 2
Diameters of the rings:
________________________________________________________________________
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2. Describe the distribution of potassium permanganate in each beaker after 30
minutes.
________________________________________________________________________
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1. Where did you observe a color change, in the beaker or cellulose sac? How do
you explain the color change?
__________________________________________________________________
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2. Based on the results of your experiment, which substance has smaller molecules,
starch or iodine? Explain your answer.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
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________________________________________________________________________
Measuring the rate of osmosis
Graph
0.0
1. What is the relationship of the rate of osmosis with the concentration of sucrose on
one side of the membrane (concentration gradient of sucrose)?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
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________________________________________________________________________
1. Describe the shape and size of red blood cell seen on the three slides. Draw your
observations.
Slide A: _____________________________________________________________
Slide B: _____________________________________________________________
Slide C: _____________________________________________________________
2.1. Which solution is hyperosmotic relative to the red blood cell? Explain.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
2.2. Which solution is hypoosmotic relative to the red blood cell? Explain.
__________________________________________________________________
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2.3. Which solution is isosmotic relative to the red blood cell? Explain.
__________________________________________________________________
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