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Biology
Higher Level
Leaving Certificate

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 Biology – The Cell, Osmosis & Diffusion
Marie Therese Molloy & Stephanie Ledwith

How big are cells?

Large organisms such as humans are
made of billions and billions of cells on
top of each other.
When we look at a cell it is made up of
molecules (2 or more atoms joined
together).
How do we see cells?
Using light microscopes we can see the
basic structure of the plant and animal
cells:

Very powerful microscopes (TEM and

SEM) reveal the detailed structure of
surface and internal structure of plant
and animal cells.

The Scanning Electron Microscope

(SEM) shows the surface of cells.
The ___ __________
__________________ (TEM) shows the
internal structure (________________)
of the cells and their organelles
(structure within the cells).

There are two categories of cells:

1. Eukaryotic Cells are cells that have _____________ ___________ organelles or a

true nucleus such as cheek cells, dog cells etc
2. Prokaryotic Cells are cells that do not have membrane bound organelles or a
_________ ____________ such as bacteria etc

Figure 2 Example of Prokaryotic Cells Figure 1 Example of Eukaryotic Cells -

Bacterium. human Cheek cells

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 Biology – The Cell, Osmosis & Diffusion
Marie Therese Molloy & Stephanie Ledwith

Cell Walls & membranes:

1. Made of biomolecule – Cellulose which is a
Carbohydrate – one of ____________ biomolecules (
Proteins,___________________, fats and Vitamins)

2. Cell membranes are made of Phospholipid bilayers,

phosphate head with 2 lipid legs.

3. The phosphates are hydrophylic and the lipid legs are

hydrophobic

How do substances enter and leave the cell?

The membrane has pores (holes) that allow the transport of some substances through but
this requires external energy (active transport). However, gases and water use a different
method:
• Gases __________ across the membrane.
• Water is drawn across by osmosis Oxygen diffuses in
due to the difference in the
concentration of the water Low water
molecules on either side of the Carbon Dioxide diffuses
membrane. out concentration

High water concentration outside so water flows

into the cell.
Osmosis
The movement of WATER molecules from a region of high water concentration to a region
of low water concentration across a semi-permeable membrane.
The high numbers of water molecules on one side of a membrane compared to the other
will mean that water will move across to even up the molecules of water.
• Water molecules are moving from where there is a ___________ concentration of
water to where there is a __________ concentration of water; this is osmosis.

Animal cells in a less concentrated solution:

• If an animal cell is in a solution that is less
concentrated than its cytoplasm (ie if there is
more water outside than inside the cell) the
water from __________ will move into the
cell and may cause it to burst/lyse or die.
Red blood cells: normal condition, crenated
and swollen due to water intake by osmosis.

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 Biology – The Cell, Osmosis & Diffusion
Marie Therese Molloy & Stephanie Ledwith

Animal Cells in a more concentrated solution:

• If animal cells are in a solution that is more concentrated than their cytoplasm (ie if
there is more water in their cytoplasm than in
the solution outside) then the water may leave
the animal cell and the cells shrivel up and may
die (crenation in red blood cells)

Amoeba
Amoeba is an example of an animal cell which needs
to control its water content. This is done through a
process called Osmoregulation.
• It means that when Amoeba is in a less
concentrated solution, water moves into the
cell.

• Amoeba has a special organelle called a ____________ ____________ that collects

the water and expels it by joining
with the cell membrane.
Amoeba are usually fresh water
organisms but there are salt water
species. These amoebae do not have
a contractile vacuole because their
cytoplasm is the same concentration
as the surrounding water.

Osmosis and Plant Cells

• Plant cells have a membrane which is surrounded by a cell wall.

• Cell walls are fully permeable and will allow all

substances in and out of the cell.

• If a plant cell is surrounded by a less

concentrated solution, then water from outside
will move into the cytoplasm and vacuole of plant
cells.

• This is how roots absorb water by ____________.

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 Biology – The Cell, Osmosis & Diffusion
Marie Therese Molloy & Stephanie Ledwith

Turgor/ Turgor Pressure

• When the outside water enters the plant cell the vacuole becomes bigger and the
cytoplasm swells.

• This causes the membrane to be pushed out towards

the ______ _______.

• When cells are fully “swelled” like this with the

membranes pushing against the cell wall they are
described as Turgid.
Plant cells experiencing turgor pressure.

Plasmolysed cells
The opposite can also happen. A plant cell can lose water to its
surroundings if the cytoplasm is less concentrated than its
surroundings. This causes the cytoplasm (seen here as the dark
balloon like shape) to pull away from the cell wall.

Osmosis and Food Preservation Plant cells experiencing

plasmolysis.
1. Bacteria and Fungi are the most common causes of food
spoilage / decay.

2. Both these cells are enclosed by a membrane.

3. If a food is placed in a sugary or salty solution then any

bacteria or fungi present will lose water in their cells to the
more concentrated solution outside.

4. They _________ will and die without water.

Examples:

End

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