Name:___________________________________________ Date: _________________________ Period:___________

Worksheet: Passive Transport Diffusion and Osmosis

All cells are enclosed by a cell membrane that consists of a double layer of phospholipids
interspersed with proteins. Its unique characteristicis described as selectively permeable
because it permits some substances to cross it rapidly, while others are unable to cross it, or cross it
slowly. Naturally, molecules move from an area ofhigh concentration to low concentration without
the need of energy. Movement across the membrane without the need for energyis called passive
transport. Diffusion is defined as the movement of molecules from an area of high concentration
(more crowded) to an area of low concentration (less crowded).

Small hydrophobic molecules and gases like oxygen and carbon dioxide cross membranes rapidly.
Molecules with strong electrical charges such as ions cannot simply diffuse across the cell
membrane. Irrespective of their size, their charge prevents them from moving freely across the cell
membrane. Other molecules such as proteins, starch and sugar are simply too large to diffuse
across the membrane. Sometimes, some of these large molecules are transported acrossthe cell
membranes by carrier proteins; this does not require energy and as a result isa form of passive
transport.

There are three types of passive transport:simple diffusion, osmosis, and facilitated diffusion. The
term simple diffusion refers to a process whereby a substance passes through amembrane
without the help of an intermediary such as an integral membrane protein. Hydrocarbons, carbon
dioxide, and oxygen are hydrophobic substances that can pass easily across the cell membrane by
simple diffusion and travel down the concentration gradient (from high concentration to low
concentration). This type of diffusion relies on the thermal motion energy intrinsic to the molecule
in question. It is a form ofpassive transport because the cells use no energy in moving the
substances.

The movement of water across a selectively permeable membrane isosmosis. A cell has one of
three water relationships with the environment around it:
• In an isotonic solution there will be no net movement of water across theplasma
membrane. Water crosses the membrane, but at the same rate in both directions.
• In a hypertonic solution the cell will lose water to its surroundings. The hyper-‐ prefix
refers to more solutes in the water around the cell, hence, the movement of water to
the higher (hyper-‐) concentration of solutes. In this case the cell loses water to the
environment, shrinks, and may die.
• In a hypotonic solution water will enter the cell faster than it leaves. The hypo-‐ prefix
refers to fewer solutes in the water around the cell, hence, the movement of water into the
cell where the solutes are more heavily concentrated. In this case the cell willexpand and
may burst, unless protected by a cell wall such as that found in bacteria and plant cells.

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Ions and polar molecules cannot pass easily across the membrane. The process by which ions and
hydrophilic substances call travel across the cell membrane with the help of transport proteins
facilitated diffusion. Transport proteins are for the substances they transport. They work in one of
two ways:
• They provide a hydrophilic channel through which the molecules in question can pass.
• They bind loosely to the molecules in question and carry them through the membrane.

Passive Transport Reading Comprehension Questions

1. The plasma membrane will allow oxygen and carbon dioxide to pass through the membrane
while other substances are blocked from passing through themembrane; its unique characteristic
is described as _______________________________________________.

2. Naturally, molecules move from an area of_______________________________________________to

_______________________________________________ without the need of energy.

3. Movement across the membrane without the need for energy is called ______________________________.

4. Define diffusion.

5. What are three types of passive transport that occur in the body?

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6. What is simple diffusion? What types of molecules can pass easily across the plasmamembrane
by simple diffusion?

7. Define osmosis.

8. What would happen to a cell if placed in each of the following solutions:

a. Isotonic solution:

b. Hypotonic solution:

c. Hypertonic solution:

9. What is facilitated diffusion? What structure assists with this process?

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Passive Transport Reading Application Questions

10. Use arrows to indicate the direction of diffusion in each case.

is a molecule that can pass through the cell membrane and is a cell membrane.

A) B)

11. For each of the situations below use an arrow to indicate the net movement ofsugar into or out of the
cell (Assume that the sugar molecules can pass through the cell membrane in each case.).

1% sugar 3% sugar 1% sugar

5% sugar 1% sugar 1% sugar

12. Use arrows to show the direction of water movement into or out of each cell. Color and label
the cell in an isotonic environment light blue, the hypotonic environment yellow, and the
hypertonic environment light green.

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13. Label the tonicity for each solution (isotonic, hypotonic, or hypertonic):

________________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

Below are semi-‐permeable bags filled with various concentrations of solutions placed in
beakers with various concentrations of solutions. Use this information to help answer
the questions below for each set-‐up.
• The solutions are prepared with distilled water.
• The semi-‐permeable membrane bag is permeable to glucose, a very small sugar
• molecule.
• The semi-‐permeable membrane bag is NOT permeable to sucrose, a larger sugar
• molecule.

1. Indicate whether the solution in the bag is isotonic, hypertonic, or hypotonic to

the solution in the beaker.
2. Draw a blue arrow for the net movement of water by osmosis (do not draw
any arrow if there would be no net movement of water).
3. Draw a green arrow for the net movement of solute by diffusion (do not draw any
arrow if there would be no net movement of solute).
4. Explain why you drew the arrows you did in terms of the properties of
diffusion, osmosis, and semi-‐permeable membranes. Be sure to include
concentrations of solutions in your explanation.

14. Beaker Set-‐Up # 1

The solution in the bag is ______________________
compared to the solution in the beaker.

Explain your arrows:

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15. Beaker Set-‐Up # 2
The solution in the bag is ______________________
compared to the solution in the beaker.

Explain your arrows:

16. Beaker Set-‐Up # 3

The solution in the bag is ______________________
compared to the solution in the beaker.

Explain your arrows:

State how protozoans are capable of handling hypotonic solutions

Can protozoans easily adapt to hypertonic solutions? Explain.

What is turgor pressure? (Be sure to relate turgor pressure to the central vacuole.)
Explain how plant cells react in 1. Hypotonic; 2. Hypertonic environments. Use diagrams to illustrate.

Why was General Scipio thinking about osmosis and water potential after his victory over Carthage at Zama?

State two examples of the biological importance of osmosis in animals such as humans.

Define Entropy and give two examples:

State two ways in which osmosis affects plants

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