Saint Mary’s University

School of Health and Natural Sciences

CENTER FOR NATURAL SCIENCES
Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya

A. Answer the following questions about the structure of the plasma membrane

1. Describe the structure of the cell membrane.

2. A. What is the phospholipid bilayer composed of?

B. Define hydrophilic and hydrophobic

C. Draw a phospholipid molecule. Indicate which end is hydrophobic and hydrophilic
D. How are the terms polar and non-polar related to the phospholipid molecule

3. Explain why the fluid mosaic model is used to describe the appearance of the cell
membrane

4. Label the parts and indicate the functions of each part in the diagram below.
B. Identify each image as: diffusion, osmosis, passive transport, active transport, exocytosis or
endocytosis.

1. ________________________ 2. ________________________

3. _________________________ 4. _____________________

5. ______________________ 6. ____________________
C. Complete the table by checking the correct column for each statement:

Statement Isotonic solution Hypotonic Hypertonic

solution solution

Causes a cell to swell

Doesn’t change the shape of a cell

Causes osmosis

Causes a cell to shrink

D. Osmosis is the diffusion of water from an area of high concentration to an area of low
concentration. Only water moves in osmosis! The diagrams below show the concentration of
water and salt inside the cell and the concentration of water and salt surrounding the cell.
Complete the sentences below by comparing the concentration of the water inside the cell and
the concentration outside the cell.

1.

a. Water will flow _____________________ (into the

5% NaCl 95% NaCl
cell, out of the cell, in both directions).
95% H2O 5% H2O
b. The cell will ______________________ (shrink, burst,
stay the same).

a. Water will flow _____________________ (into the

2. cell, out of the cell, in both directions).
5% NaCl 5% NaCl

95% H2O 95% H2O

b. The cell will ______________________ (shrink,
burst, stay the same).
3.
95% NaCl 5% NaCl a. Water will flow _____________________ (into
the cell, out of the cell, in both directions).
5% H2O 95% H2O
b. The cell will ______________________ (shrink,
burst, stay the same).

E. Describe the processes occurring in the following pictures:

F. At which solution of concentration gradient is each cell diagram? (Hypotonic,

Hypertonic, Isotonic)

a. _____________ b. ________________ c. ____________