THE CELL: PHYSIOCHEMICAL PROCESSES

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In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Subject
General Biology 100

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Presented by:

Hilary Vera V. Parcon

Jhan Merson Y. Escaro
Eanna Nadeen E. Jeruta
Mica Andrea R. Crispin
Jet Drake G. Tesico
Ma. Erika Teresa B. Portillo

Grade 12 – STEM 15
D.
1. Filtration
Filtration is the separating of substances based on their different physical and chemical
qualities. Typically, we think of it as the removal of solid particles from a mixture
containing both solids and liquids. In this process, we refer to the collected solid
material as the residue and the fluid material as the filtrate. Usually, a tool that contains
some form of pores is used, which allows the fluid portion, but not the solid portion, to
pass through. Different materials are used for the purpose of filtration, including paper,
sand, and cloth. Filtration also occurs naturally in our bodies, for example in the
kidneys, where the blood is filtered in a process called glomerular filtration.

2. Diffusion
Diffusion is a physical process that refers to the net movement of molecules from a
region of high concentration to one of lower concentration. The material that diffuses
could be a solid, liquid or gas. Similarly, the medium in which diffusion occurs could also
be in one of the three physical states.

One of the main characteristics of diffusion is the movement of molecules along the
concentration gradient. While this could be facilitated by other molecules, it does not
directly involve high-energy molecules such as adenosine triphosphate (ATP) or
guanosine triphosphate (GTP).

The rate of diffusion depends on the nature of interaction between the medium and
material. For instance, a gas diffuses very quickly in another gas. An example of this is
the way the noxious smell of ammonia gas spreads in air. Similarly, if a canister of liquid
nitrogen leaks a little, nitrogen gas that escapes would quickly diffuse into the
atmosphere. The same gas would diffuse slightly more slowly in a liquid such as water
and slowest in a solid.

Similarly, two miscible liquids will also diffuse into each other to form a uniform solution.
For instance, when water is mixed with glycerol, over time the two liquids diffuse radially
into each other. This can even be observed visually by the addition of different colored
dyes to each of the liquids. However, the same phenomenon is not seen when
immiscible liquids like petrol and water are mixed together. Diffusion happens slowly
and only across the small surface of interaction between the two fluids.
3.osmosis
Osmosis is a type of diffusion that, in biology, is usually related to cells. Diffusion is
when molecules or atoms move from an area of high concentration to an area of low
concentration. Osmosis is when a substance crosses a semipermeable membrane in
order to balance the concentrations of another substance. In biology, this is usually
when a solvent such as water flows into or out of a cell depending on the concentration
of a solute such as salt. Osmosis happens spontaneously and without any energy on
the part of the cell.