SUMMATIVE PRACTICE 3

MOVEMENT OF SUBSTANCES ACROSS A PLASMA MEMBRANE

 Molecules or ions move along concentration
gradient and do not need energy.

Most molecules dissolve in water and do not dissolve in lipid. [reason]

As such, these molecules do not move through the phospholipid

bilayer. [characteristic]

Some molecules that are too large (such as glucose molecules) and
sodium ions cannot move through the phospholipid bilayer. Ions such
as sodium ions cannot move through the phospholipid tail.
[example]
The concentrated sugar solution is a hypertonic solution. [type solution]

This causes water within the food cell to diffuse out of the food via osmosis.
[water molecule movement]

The food becomes dehydrated. [cell]

The absence of water in the food allows the food cells to last longer because
microorganisms cannot survive without water. [reason]
Water diffuses into the contractile vacuole. [water molecule]

The vacuole then expands to its maximum size. The vacuole will the move to the cell
membrane. [role/ characteristic]

At the cell membrane, the contractile vacuole will contract and expel water from Amoeba sp.
to the environment. This prevents the organism from bursting. [elaboration]

b) Amoeba sp. shrinks. [prediction]

Seawater is hypertonic to the fluid in Amoeba sp. [type of solution]

Water diffuses out of contractile vacuoles through osmosis. [water molecule]

Amoeba sp. dies. [elaboration]

(a) (i) Plasma membrane.

(ii) X: phospholipid bilayer. Y: carrier protein

(b) The plasma membrane will be pushed against the cell wall. [prediction]

Distilled water is hypotonic to the plant cell sap. [type of solution]

Water molecules diffuse into the cell via osmosis. [water molecules]

The vacuole will expand. [elaboration]

The ion movement is against the concentration gradient. [reason]

The carrier protein binds with a calcium ion. [elaboration]

ATP provides energy to the carrier protein. [elaboration]

The energized carrier protein changes shape and the calcium ion is transported
through the carrier protein out of the cell . [elaboration]
(a) A sediment forms at the bottom of test tube A and C whereas the whole solution in test
tube B looks pink.

(b) • For test tube A, the 4.5% sodium chloride solution is hypertonic to red blood cells.
Water will diffuse out of the cells via osmosis causing the cells to shrink (cells undergo
crenation) and settle at the bottom of the test tube.

For test tube B, distilled water is hypotonic to red blood cells. Water will diffuse into the
cells via osmosis causing the cells to expand, burst and release the red pigment,
haemoglobin and cell contents into the solution (cells undergo haemolysis).
The red pigment causes the solution to appear pink.
d) The 0.85% sodium chloride solution because this solution is isotonic to red blood
cells. Cells do not change shape and maintain their biconcave shape.
Similarities:
Does not need metabolism energy.
Occurs until an equilibrium is achieved, that is, when all the
molecules are evenly distributed everywhere.
Occurs when there is a difference in concentration or
concentration gradient.

Differences:
Simple diffusion that involves the movement of any molecules
whereas osmosis involves the movement of water molecules.
Simple diffusion does not need take place through a selectively
permeable membrane whereas osmosis takes place through a
selectively permeable membrane.
The concentrated sugar solution is a hypertonic solution. [type solution]

This causes water within the food cell to diffuse out of the food via osmosis.
[water molecule movement]

The food becomes dehydrated. [cell]

The absence of water in the food allows the food cells to last longer because
microorganisms cannot survive without water. [reason]
i) Vegetables that are soaked too long in a salt solution will wilt because the salt solution
which is hypertonic to the cell sap of vegetables, [type solution]

causes water to diffuse out of cells via osmosis. [water molecule]

Plant cells undergo plasmolysis. [condition]

The vegetables wilt. [elaboration]

(ii) To regain turgidity, the vegetables must be soaked in water. [suggestion]

The water in the external environment will diffuse back into the vegetable cells and cell
turgidity is restored. [elaboration]

Vegetable cells undergo deplasmolysis [elaboration]

(b) • Amino acid molecules are transported across the plasma membrane via
facilitated diffusion. [type of transport]

Amino acid molecules are transported from a high concentration area to a low
concentration area, along the concentration gradient with the help of carrier
proteins. [from where| along or against [gradient]]

Amino acid molecules will move towards carrier proteins and bind with the carrier
protein’s specific site. [elaborate]

The carrier protein changes shape to allow the amino acid molecules to pass
through the carrier proteins into the cell. [elaborate]

After that, carrier proteins will return to their original state and prepare to transport
more amino acid molecules. [elaborate]
Liposome is a vesicle that contains aqueous solution encased in a membrane made
up of phospholipids. [characteristic]

Liposome is used to transport active substances in cosmetics into the epidermal

layer of the skin. [function

The liposome transports active substances in skincare cream to the lower

epidermal layer so that the active substance can be more effective. [concept of
transport of substance]

Without liposomes, active substances within skincare cream, for example vitamin C,
will be easily oxidised. [example]
PROJECT BASED LEARNING
MOVEMENT OF SUBSTANCES ACROSS A PLASMA MEMBRANE