BIOCHEMISTRY
Osmosis, Diffusion & the Cell Membrane
Diffusion
 The movement of molecules from areas of high
concentration (where there are a lot) to areas of
low concentration (not so many).
 This explains why the perfume smell spreads
This explains why the perfume smell spreads
throughout the room & why the ink spreads
throughout the room & why the ink spreads
throughout the glass throughout the
glassRequires no energy
 Increasing heat can speed up rate of diffusion
 Why does sugar dissolve faster in hot tea than
in cold
Dye in oil and water experiment
Polarity refers to the distribution of electric charge
around atoms, chemical groups, or molecules.
Polar molecules occur when there is an
electronegativity difference between the bonded
atoms.
Nonpolar molecules occur when electrons are shared
equal between atoms of a diatomic molecule
If you know the polarity of molecules, you can predict
whether or not they will mix together to form chemical
solutions. The general rule is that "like dissolves like“.
Cell Membrane
 Just as your house has ways to protect against
unwanted visitors, the cell does too.
 The cell membrane is made up of phospholipids
 Roles:
 Separate the cell from the environment
 Control what comes in the cell & what goes out
of
 The cell membrane is semi-permeable
 Means that certain molecules can pass through
the phospholipid bilayer (i.e. water) but certain
things phospholipid bilayer (i.e. water) but
certain things cannot
 Size usually plays a factor but so many other
qualities, such as electrical charge qualities,
such as electrical charge
Osmosis
 Many molecules are able to diffuse in and out of
cells. Movement of water across semi permeable
membrane.
 Water is one such molecule.
 The diffusion of water is so important to cells that
we have a special term for it.
 Diffusion of water across a semi-permeable
membrane osmosis.
 During osmosis, WATER moves from an area of high
concentration (where there is more water) to an
area of low concentration (where there is less
water)
Ways of Describing Solutions
Solute – component of solution in lesser amount (i.e. in
potato lab, it was the salt or sugar)
Solvent – component of solution in greater amount (i.e.
in potato lab, it was the water)
3 Ways of Comparing Solutions
Isotonic
Describes solutions with equal solute Describes
solutions with equal solute concentrations on either
side of a selectively concentrations on either side of a
selectively permeable membrane
Hypotonic
Root word means “below”
Describes a solution with a lower concentration of
solute than the solution across a selectively solute than
the solution across a selectively permeable membrane
Hypertonic
Root word is above (i.e. think about “hyperactive”
meaning “above active”)
Describes a solution with a higher concentration of
solute molecules than the solution across a solute
molecules than the solution across a selectively
permeable membrane
BIOCHEMISTRY
 May act as channels
 Carbohydrate chains
 Cellular identification
 Like a flag
Facilitated Diffusion
 Cell membrane has certain channels (proteins)
that make it easy for certain molecules to cross
the membrane
 Will only occur if there is a higher
concentration on one side of the
membrane

Potato Experiment (1)

 The color of the salted water one is dark brown;
The one in the regular water looks like a nice
white freshly cut piece of potato.
 Moving on to the flexible test, the regular water
one again feels firm and crisp (try to break the
piece, it snaps!). The saltwater potato is bendy
and doesn’t snap at all.
 Osmosis is the diffusion of water across a semi-
permeable membrane from an area of high
Passive Transport – Osmosis
concentration of water, to an area of low
concentration. Tonicity and Osmosis

Example in human body  Isotonic: equal concentration of a solute inside

and outside of cell.
 The cholera bacteria releases a toxin that
causes cells to secrete salt into the intestine.  Hypertonic: a higher concentration of solute.

 So, there is a greater amount of salt inside the  Hypotonic: a lower concentration of solute.
intestine compared to the outside of the PS. Water will always move toward a hypertonic
intestine. Using what you know about osmosis, environment!!
explain what happens next.
Cell Membrane Structure
 Made of two layers (lipid bilayer)
 Gives cell membranes a flexible
structure that forms a strong barrier
 Contains protein and carbohydrate molecules
 Helps materials cross the membrane
 Phospholipid
 Hydrophobic tail; Hydrophilic head
 Proteins embedded in bilayer
BIOCHEMISTRY

Physiologic principles of dialysis:

Diffusion is the movement of solutes from an area of
higher concentration to an area of lower concentration
Osmosis is the movement of a solvent across a
semipermeable membrane from a lower concentration
of solutes to a higher concentration of solutes.
Ultrafiltration is the removal of extra fluid through the
membrane using additional pressure.