Diffusion and Osmosis For plants and animals to stay alive, chemicals must be able to (i) from one part of a cell to another (ii) into and out of a cell iii) from one cell to another. Move easily: “ It is an advantage to the plant or animal if this chemical movement does not require effort, or more correctly, ‘expenditure of energy’ As long as there is no obstruction, chemical molecules carry out this. Process by DIFFUSION. Before diffusion can occur, there must be a CONCENTRATION GRADIENT of the molecules - a region of (relatively) high concentration next to a region of (relatively) low concentration. Diffusion is the movement of molecules from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration, down a concentration gradient. Examples of diffusion in plants @ The movement of carbon dioxide during photosynthesis. Carbon dioxide, in solution, moves from the water film surrounding the mesophyll cells inside a leaf, to the chloroplasts in the leaf, Gi) The movement of water vapour during transpiration. Water vapour moves from the water film surrounding the mesophyll cells inside a leaf, through the intercellular spaces of the leaf, and out through the stomata. Examples of diffusion in animals (The movement of oxygen into the blood for respiration. Oxygen is dissolved in the moisture lining the air sacs of the lungs (ALVEOLI), then moves through the walls of the alveoli into the blood. (ii) The movement of carbon dioxide into the blood. Carbon dioxide, in Solution, moves from the cells, through tissue fluid, into the blood in capillaries,¥ 10 CAMBRIDGE REVISION GUIDE: GCE 0 LEVEL BIOLOG) Understanding the processes of diffusion and osmosis A The movement of molecules by diffusion .ctions using a piece of cloth, 1 Suppose a container is divided into two se 2 A dilute sugar sotution, which contains a lot of water, as ond side of the container. A concentrated sugar solution, wi aan ° a less water, is poured into the other. The container is left to s for a few minutes. has changed on both tration of the solution 3 When checked, the concentrati i aareee sides of the container. Each side has the same cons and sugar. By diffusion, both the water molecules and the sugar molecules moved down their respective concentration gradients, until both sides were at the same concentration. The pores in the cloth did not obstruct the movement of the molecules in either direction. dilute concentrated sugar sugar solution solution cloth ——> net iform distr water molecules uniform distribution movement ae of water and sugar ---- molecules sugar molecues as a result of diffusion Fig. 8 The process of diffusion The movement of molecules by osmosis 1 Suppose a container is divided i : ivi en microscopic holes, ded into two sections using a membrane with The same dilute sugar soluti 7 Solution is poured in Fi , to i sugar solution is poured into the other, Agat a side, and concentrated ‘and for a few minutes, Sain, the container is left toDIFFUSION AND OSMOSIS 11 when checked, the dilute solution has lost water molecules, thus becoming more concentrated, while the concentrated solution has gained water molecules and become more dilute. . ‘The microscopic holes of the membrane were so small that they allowed the of water molecules but ot the sugar molecules. The water molecules Figused down their concentration gradient, while the sugar molecules stayed where they were. This specialised case of diffusion is called OSMOSIS, and the separating membrane is described as partially permeable. 3 partially permeable membrane O sugar molecule © water molecule water but not sugar molecules pass through the membrane Fig. 9 Osmosis (Reproduced by permission of the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate) Dilute solutions, which have a relatively large number of water molecules, are said to have a HIGH WATER POTENTIAL. Concentrated solutions, with fewer water molecules, are said to have a LOW WATER POTENTIAL. Osmosis can be defined as the passage of water molecules from a region of high water Potential, to a region of lower water potential, through a partially permeable12 CAMBRIDGE REVISION GUIDE: GCE 0 LEVEL BIOLOGY How water is taken up by a plant Simple diffusion 1 The cell wall of a root hair cell is made of cellulose, a completely permeable substance. 2. The cell wall does not obstruct the passage of water into the root hair cell. 3 Where the walls of neighbouring cells touch, water can pass into the rog, by simple diffusion - through the cellulose of the cell walls (the ‘cell way pathway). Osmosis 1 All cell membranes are partially permeable. 2. The cell sap of root hair cells has a relatively low water potential. 3. Soil water has a relatively high water potential. 4 ‘Water molecules will move into the vacuole of root hairs by osmosis (the ‘vacuolar’ pathway). water following cell-wall pathway (by simple diffusion) water following vacuolar pathway (by osmosis) cortex of root epidermis Fig, 10. How water is taken up by a plant When water molecules enter a root hair cell, they increase the water potential of that cell. Osmosis then causes the water to move from the root hair cell to the next cell, closer to the centre of the root. The water molecules move like this from cell to cell until they reach the . xylem root, where they are transported away to the steno oe ne contze oF tne‘Sucrose solution rises in the glass tube 8S water passes from the beaker through the partially permeable membrane by osmosis. glass tube. Visking tubing SSltuay (partially permeable membrane) solution water. Fig. 11 A demonstration of osmosis using an artificial partially permeable membrane (Reproduced by permission of the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate) The effect of osmosis on plant and animal cells A The intake of water by osmosis ‘Water enters plant (root) cells by osmosis, because the.water potential of soil water is usually higher than the water potential of a plant'’s cell sap. As water enters the plant cell, the vacuole increases in volume. It presses the cytoplasmic lining of the cell against the flexible, box-like cell wall. This pressure is called TURGOR pressure, and helps to make plant cells firm. Turgor, or turgidity, in plant cells helps: (i) to keep stems upright . (ii) to keep leaves flat so they can better absorb sunlight. water enters vacuole by osmosis vacuole increases in volume and pressure pushes against cytoplasm cytoplasm pushes against cell wall ~ stretching the cell and making it firm (turgid) Fig. 12 Plant cell in water14 CAMBRIDGE REVISION GUIDE: GCE 0 LEVEL BIOLOGY Turgor resulting from osmosis can be demonstrated using a tightly-tied bag made of Visking tube (an artificial partially permeable membrane) filled with sugar solution, and placed in water for 20 minutes. “Sausage’ becomes turgid and swells “Sausage’ becomes flaccid and shrinks tightly sugar tied T- (sucrose) solution sugar (sucrose) | water solution |_ partially water permeable membrane (Visking’ tube) water enters water leaves by osmosis by osmosis Fig. 13 Demonstration of how osmosis can affect turgidity The water potential inside most animal cells is often the same as the solution in which the cells are naturally bathed (see the section on kidney function, p. 75). There is little movement of water by osmosis into or out of the cell. However, if a red blood cell is placed in a solution with a relatively high water potential, it starts to take in water by osmosis. Since there is no cell wall to resist the increased pressure that results, the cell bursts. B_ The /oss of water by osmosis Plant cells placed in a solution of relatively low water potential lose water from their vacuoles. The cells lose their turgor because the cytoplasm is no longer being forced against the cell wall. They become FLACCID. If the cells remain in the solution of lower water potential, so much water will be drawn from the vacuole that the cytoplasm will pull away from the cell wall. This condition is called PLASMOLysis.DIFFUSION AND OsMosiS 15 water leaves vacuole by ‘osmosis vacuole decreases in volume and pressure Fig. 14a Plant cell in concentrated sugar solution (flaccid) water leaves by osmosis , partially permeable cell membrane pulled away from cell wall vacuole decreases in volume cytoplasm pulled away from cell wall sugar solution diffuses through ~ ~ — permeable cell wall to occupy the space between the wall and the cell membrane Fig. 14b Plant cell in concentrated sugar solution (plasmolysed) cell shrinks in size and becomes soft (flaccid) Animal cells placed in solutions of lower water potential lose their shape and turgidity as water moves out of their cytoplasm. A red blood cell shrinks in size and its cell membrane becomes unevenly creased (‘crenated’). Normal red blood cell Red blood cell in concentrated sugar solution > & Zs a ‘crenated’ after water leaves the cell by osmosis Fig. 15 The effect of placing a red blood cell in a concentrated sugar solution (Reproduced by permission of the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate)Po _ OLOGY BI 16 CAMBRIDGE REVISION GUIDE: GCE O LEVEL. Active transport Both plant and animal cells need water, for their metabolism. But these 1 concentration inside the cell than outsi process called ACTIVE TRANSPORT, where energy’ from an area of lower concentration to an area © Active transport is an energy*-consuming process whe! against a concentration gradient. . i les, other than sical molecules, « ; ae ea may already be in a higher ae In this case, the cell uses a ee * jg used to move chemicals f higher concentration. re substances are transported *The energy required by the cell is provided by the chemical reaction of RESPIRATION. Respiration takes place in all living cells. Examples of active transport (i) In plant roots, when the ions needed for a plant’s metabolism may be in very short supply in the soil water. Ions are absorbed by root hair cells active transport (see p. 4). Gi) In the small intestine of an animal, when digested food (such as slucose) is absorbed by the cells of the villi by active transport (see p. 47).