Diffusion and Osmosis

Outline
• Learn the concepts of:
– Diffusion, osmosis, semi-permeable
membrane, isotonic, hypertonic, &
hypotonic

• Explore diffusion in a colloid

– Relationship between diffusion & size
1 4
2
• Explore diffusion & osmosis in a
dialysis bag 3
– Dialysis bag experiment
– Semi-permeable membrane
– Water, glucose, starch

• Plant/animal cells exposure to

water
– Hypertonic Env.
– Hypotonic Env.
– Isotonic Env.
 Diffusion
• Solute molecules moving from an
area of high concentration to an (water)
area of low concentration

– Random motion drives diffusion

– Movement is based on kinetic

energy (speed), charge, and
mass of molecules
1
2 4
– Equilibrium is reached when
there is an even distribution of
solute molecules
3
 Osmosis
• Diffusion of water through a semi-
permeable membrane
– Semi-permeable: permeable to
solvents (WATER), but not to
large molecules
– High [water] to low [water]

• Dissolved molecules (i.e. glucose,

starch) are called solutes

• REMEMBER:
Water = solvent
Glucose, Starch = solutes
 Diffusion Rates of Various Dyes

• How do different MW
solutions migrate through a 2
colloid? 1
3
• Colloid – suspension of large,
insoluble particles in a fluid
medium 6
– Agar plate 4
5
• Measure the rate of
diffusion of various dye
(differ in MW)
ü 3 known(s) (crystal violet, malachite
• Measure diameter at T90 green, potassium permanganate)
(minutes) ü 3 unknowns

Part 1 pg. 82
 Diffusion Rates of Various Dyes

• How do different MW solutions Effect of Molecular Weight on Diffusion Rates Through a

migrate through a colloid? Colloid

1.2

• Standard Curve 1

Molecular Weight (g/mole)

– Y-axis: molecular weight
?
0.8

(MW)
– X-axis: distance migrated 0.6

(mm) 0.4

0.2

Inverse Relationship 0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2

• Higher MW, slower diffusion Distance Migrated (mm)

• Lower MW, faster diffusion
 Dialysis Bag Experiment
• Dialysis Bag
– Semi-permeable membrane
– Water, glucose, & starch
Dialysis bag
Glucose
• What passes through the
dialysis bag? Iodine

– Glucose (Benedict’s Test) Starch

– Starch (Iodine Solution)

T0 T80
• Time Course Experiment
– Every 10 minutes, measure
the amount of glucose &
starch present in the beaker Weigh Weigh

Part 2 pg. 83
Dialysis Bag Experiment - Results

Lab Manual, page 84

 Dialysis Bag Experiment - Controls
Negative control for dialysis bag experiment (performed by TA)
• Instead of using dialysis tubing, I will be using a plastic bag.
• I will determine the weight, Benedict‘s result, & iodine results at
time 0 and 80 minutes

Biochemical test controls (in pairs)

• set up test control of iodine test w/ glucose and starch
• set up test control of Benedict‘s test w/ glucose and starch

Iodine Benedict’s
Glucose ? ?
Starch ? ?
 Effect of Water on Cells
• Hypertonic Environment
– High [solute], low [water]

• Hypotonic Environment
– High [water], low [solute]

Hypertonic Hypotonic
• Isotonic Environment
– [water] = [solute] Isotonic

Part 3 pg. 85
Osmosis in Living Cells

Cellulose in
cell wall
 Osmosis in Red Blood Cells

• Observe sheep RBCs via a wet

mount of the sample
Isotonic
• Aliquot one drop the following
solutions with a ½ drop of RBC to
Crenation
a slide

ü0.9% saline

ü10% NaCl Predictions?

Hypertonic
üDistilled water

• Record observation in the table

on page 85

Hypotonic
 Osmosis in Plant Cells
Plasmolysis
• Observe Elodea leaves via a wet
mount of the sample

• Aliquot two drops the following

solutions with a new Elodea leaf
to a slide. Incubate for 10
Hypertonic
minutes @ room temp.

ü10% NaCl
Predictions?
üDistilled water

• Record observation in the table

on page 85

Hypotonic
 Plan of attack . . .

ü Set-up Part I – Molecular Weight Diffusion in

Colloid
ü Incubate for 90 minutes

ü Set up Part II – Dialysis Bag

ü Time course: 80 minutes (time-point every 10 minutes)

ü Part III – Osmosis in Living Cells

 Animations
Dialysis Bag Experiment
• http://ccollege.hccs.cc.tx.us/instru/Biology/AllStudy
Pages/Diffusion_Osmosis/Baggif.swf

Elodea Cell
• http://ccollege.hccs.cc.tx.us/instru/Biology/AllStudy
Pages/Diffusion_Osmosis/Elodeagif.swf

Osmosis
• http://ull.chemistry.uakron.edu/genobc/animations/o
smosis.mov
 Transportation of Molecules

• Passive Transport
-Movement of molecules across a
semi-permeable membrane
- no energy required

• Active Transport
-Movement of molecules across a
semi-permeable membrane against a
concentration gradient with a
protein
- ENERGY – ATP
• Facilitated Diffusion
-Movement of molecules across a
semi-permeable membrane with a
protein
- no energy required
Effect of Water on RBC