4.

MOVEMENT IN AND OUT OF CELLS

4.1 DIFFUSION
Diffusion is the movement of molecules from a region of their higher concentration to a region of their lower
concentration, down a concentration gradient.

Describe the importance of gaseous and solute diffusion, and of water as a solvent.

Importance of gaseous and solute diffusion

Diffusion helps living organisms to:

 Obtain many of their requirements
 Get rid of many of their waste products
 Gas exchange for respiration

Importance of water as a solvent.

 Most cells contain about 75% of water.

 Many substances move around a cell dissolved in water.
 Many important reactions take place in water

4.2 ACTIVE TRANSPORT

active transport is an energy consuming process by which substances are transported against a concentration
gradient.

Describe the role of active transport in the uptake of mineral ions in plants and animals.

 Ion uptake by root hairs in plants.

Root hair cells in plants take in nitrate ions from the soil. The Mineral ions concentration are often higher
inside the root hair cell than in the soil, so the diffusion gradient is from the root hair à the soil. Despite
this, the root hair cells still can take nitrate ions in, by active transport

 Glucose uptake by epithelial cells of villi in animals.

Villi in small intestines absorb glucose from small intestines into blood plasma. The concentration of
glucose in small intestines is higher than the concentration of glucose in blood plasma. Glucose is be
transported from small intestines where it is in low concentrations into the blood plasma where it is highly
concentrated by active transport.

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 4.3 OSMOSIS
Osmosis is the passage of water molecules from a region of their higher concentration to a region of their lower
concentration, through a partially permeable membrane.

Describe the importance of osmosis on the uptake of water by plants and its effects on plant and animal tissues.

Importance of osmosis in the uptake of water

Osmosis is the movement of water from high concentration to a low concentration. Water moves from the soil where
it is highly concentrated into root hairs where it is in low concentrations. Osmosis allows water to move from where
it soil into root hairs.

Effects of osmosis on plant and animal tissues

 When cells gain water (placed in H2O): Concentration of H2O outside the cell is higher than inside it.
Cells will take in H2O by osmosis:

 Plant cells become turgid (swollen) but do not burst (have tough cell wall which is fully
permeable).
 Animal cells will burst (no cell wall).

 When cells lose water (placed in concentrated sugar or salt solutions): Concentration of H2O inside the
cell is higher than outside it. H2O get out of the cells by osmosis:

 Plant cells become flaccid (soft and limp), cytoplasm is no longer pressed against the cell wall. The
plant loses it firmness and begin to wilt.
 Animal cells shrink, become crenated.

describe the importance of a water potential gradient in the uptake of water by plants

Water has the ability to move from a high water potential region (where it is in high concentration) to a low water
potential region (where it is in low concentration).So a water potential gradient ( the difference in water
concentration between two regions) helps in the movement of water by osmosis from

 Soil to root hairs

 Tissue fluids to cells
 Xylem to leaf mesophyll cells
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