Diffusion, Osmosis, Active

Transport

Biology Notes
GCE Study Buddy
 Diffusion
 Diffusion is the net movement of ions or molecules from a region
of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration, down
a concentration gradient
 In liquids and gases, molecules possess kinetic energy and
constantly move about
 As this movement is random, an equilibrium is reached when the
molecules are evenly spread out, where there is no more net
change – dynamic equilibrium reached
 The steeper the gradient for a substance, the faster the rate of
diffusion
 No energy input is required for diffusion because the particles
already are in motion.
 Hence, it is know as passive transport
 Diffusion
permeable
membrane
water

20 20 10 10
potassium copper potassium copper
iodide ions sulphate ions Key iodide ions, sulphate ions,
10 10
potassium iodide ions
copper potassium
copper sulphate ions sulphate ions iodide ions
 Factors affecting diffusion
 What are some factors affecting the rate of
diffusion?
 Concentration gradient
 Temperature
 Pressure
 size of particles
 surface area to volume ratio
 Osmosis
 Osmosis is the movement of water molecules from a solution of
higher water potential to a solution of lower water potential
through a partially permeable membrane
 Water potential is a measure of the tendency of water to move
from one place to another
 A water potential gradient is established when a partially-
permeable membrane separates two solutions of different
water potentials.
 A dilute solution contains more water molecules per unit volume
than a concentrated solution so it has a higher water potential
than a concentrated solution
 Osmosis
 Osmotic pressure is the pressure that must be applied
to a solution to prevent the inward flow of water across
a partially permeable membrane .
 Osmotic pressure is the opposite of water potential.
 A partially permeable membrane is a membrane that
will allow certain molecules or ions to pass through it
by diffusion.
 The cell membrane is partially permeable.
 What other structures or organs are partially permeable?
 Osmosis
rise in level

A B A B A B

5% drop in
sucrose level
water
solution
(more molecules
water, diffuse
less from B to
sucrose) A.
partially
permeable
membrane
8 sucrose 4 sucrose 8 sucrose 4 sucrose
Key
molecules, molecules, molecules, molecules,
9 water 18 water sucrose molecule 18 water 9 water
molecules molecules molecules molecules
water molecule
Net movement of water
molecules
Hypotonic, Isotonic, Hypertonic
(animal cells only)

Lower water potential Equal water potential Higher water potential

 Plant cell in high water
potential solution
 As water enters the cell, the vacuole increases in size and
pushes the cell contents against the cellulose cell wall. The
cell wall prevents over expansion of the cell by exerting an
opposing pressure preventing the entry of more water
 A plant in this state becomes turgid
 The turgidity of the cell with water is called turgor pressure
 The plant cell does not burst because the cell wall is strong
and relatively inelastic
 Animal cell in high water
potential solution
 Animal cell will swell and may bust in a hypotonic solution
because it does not have a cell wall

in a solution with high

water potential
 Plant cell in low water
potential solution
 The water potential of the cell sap is higher than that of the
solution outside the cell. Osmosis takes place and water moves
out of the cell
 As water is lost from the cell, the vacuole decreases in size and
the cytoplasm shrinks away from the cellulose cell wall.
 This shrinkage of the cytoplasm away from the cell wall when
plant cells are immersed in a solution of low water potential is
known as plasmolysis
 The cells are said to be plasmolysed. The cells can be restored
by placing them in water or solution of high water potential
Plant cell in low water
potential solution
water leaves by osmosis
Cytoplasm shrinks away from cell
wall

in a solution with low

water potential

As the cell loses water, the vacuole

decreases in size.
The cell becomes plasmolysed
 Animal cell in low water
potential solution
 Animal cells in hypertonic solution: it will lose water and
the cell membrane will form little spikes as water is lost and
the cell shrinks, a process called crenation. The cell dies
eventually
Spikes form
in a solution with low
water potential
 Turgor in plants
 Turgor is very important in maintaining the shape of soft tissues
in plants
 Young stems and most leaves, esp. those of herbaceous or non-
woody plants, can remain firm and erect because of the turgor
pressure within their cells.
 When there is a high rate of evaporation of water from the cells,
they lose their turgidity and the plant wilts
 The movement of certain plants are due to changes in turgor
 Eg opening and closing of the stomata, folding of leaflets of the
Mimosa plant
 Active Transport
 Active transport is the process in which energy is used to
move the particles of a substance against a concentration
gradient from a region of lower concentration to a region of
higher concentration
 Occurs in living cells because only living cells respire
 Active transport
 The energy used in cells is called “ ATP” .
 Active transport requires:
 Protein transporters
 ATP (or energy)
 Active transport occurs in:
 Absorption of mineral salts by root hair cells.
 Absorption of glucose and amino acids by cells in the small
intestine.
 Na-K pump
 Example of Active
Transport
 Absorption of mineral salts by root hair cells

 The soil solution has to have a higher water potential than the root hair
cell in order for water to move into the root hair cell by osmosis.

 This means that the soil solution has a lower concentration of ions (ie.
mineral salts) than the root hair cell.

 Therefore, active transport is used to transport ions into the root hair
cell.

 Specific transporter proteins

 Energy expended.
 Transport of large
molecules
 Some substances are too large to cross the plasma
membrane by diffusion, facilitated diffusion and
osmosis
 Other means of transport are necessary:
 Endocytosis
 Exocytosis
 Surface area: Volume ratio
The greater the area
of cell surface
membrane, the faster
will be the rate of
diffusion of a
substance for a given
concentration
gradient
 Surface area: Volume ratio
 The greater the surface area to volume ratio, the
faster the rate of diffusion.
 This explains why cells are so small: nutrients, oxygen
and waste substances have to diffuse into and out of
cells quickly.
 Eg.
 Question
 Four clear agar blocks were placed into solutions of
methylene blue as shown. Which agar block would be
first to become completely stained?

A B C D

4mm 6mm
4mm
2mm
2mm 2mm 4mm
2mm 4mm
2mm 2mmRanee Mohan 2mm
 Question
 An experiment to investigate
osmosis is set up as shown. Tube X
What happens?
Volume of Concentration
the liquid of the sugar
in tube X solution Partially
A Decreases Decreases permeable
membrane
B Decreases Increases
C Increases Decreases
D Increases Increases
Ranee Mohan
 Question
 A plasmolysed cell is shown. Which numbered
structures are partially-permeable?

A. 1 only
1
B. 2 only

C. 1 and 2 only 2
D. 1 and 3 only
3
 Question
Four identical pieces of potato are treated in two
stages, as shown. Which piece of potato will be
the largest after two hours?
Stage 1 Stage 2
A Boiled in water Placed in 10% salt solution
for 10 min
B Boiled in water Placed in distilled water
for 10 min
C Unboiled Placed in 10% salt solution
D Unboiled Ranee Mohan Placed in distilled water
 Question
 Which one of the following enters plant cells by active
transport?

A. Carbon dioxide

B. Nitrate ions

C. Water

D. Oxygen