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Chapter 2: Diffusion & Osmosis

Content
2.1 Diffusion
2.2 Osmosis
2.3 Active transport

Learning outcomes
Candidates should be able to:
(a) define diffusion as the movement of molecules from a region of their higher concentration to a region of their lower concentration, down a
concentration gradient
(b) define osmosis as the passage of water molecules from a region of higher water potential to a region of lower water potential, through a partially
permeable membrane
(c) describe the importance of a water potential gradient in the uptake of water by plants and the effects of osmosis on plant and animal tissues
(d) define active transport as the movement of ions into or out of a cell through the cell membrane, from a region of their lower concentration to a
region of their higher concentration against a concentration gradient, using energy released during respiration
(e) discuss the importance of active transport as an energy-consuming process by which substances are transported against a concentration gradient, as
in ion uptake by root hairs and glucose uptake by cells in the villi.

Diffusion in Gases

Diffusion in Liquids

Definition:
Diffusion is the net movement of molecules from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower
concentration, along the concentration gradient.
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Diffusion always takes place down a concentration gradient, that means that the particles that diffuse try to spread
evenly in all spaces, so it moves from where it’s very concentrated to where it’s not concentrated.

There are some factors affecting the rate of diffusion, like the steepness of the concentration gradient. The steeper
the gradient, the faster the particles diffuse.

The surface area of the exchange membrane also affects the rate of diffusion. The larger the surface area of the
exchange membrane, the faster particles diffuse.

Thickness of exchange membrane too determines the diffusion rate, the thinner it is, the easier it will be for
particles to go through it, hence faster diffusion rate.

Temperature is another factor affecting the diffusion rate, increasing the temperature will give particles more kinetic
energy, making them move faster, thus increasing the rate of diffusion.

Diffusion in plants and animals

Diffusion is important to all living organisms. The basic activities that keep them alive depend on the movement of
materials into & out of the body.

Amoeba takes in oxygen and gives out carbon dioxide by diffusion

The figure below summarizes the diffusion of materials into and out of a living cell.

The diffusion of materials into & out of a living cell

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Osmosis
How water diffuses across a membrane.
When molecules diffuse into & out of a cell, they must cross the cell membrane. The cell membrane is a semi-
permeable membrane that allows certain substances to pass through but keeps out others.

Demonstrating osmosis using a visking tubing & Demonstrating osmosis using visking tubing in a beaker
capillary tube filled with distiller water

The visking tubing represents the cell membrane as it has tiny holes in it which allow only small molecules to pass
through. It separates a concentrated sucrose solution from water. Diagram below shows how the water molecules
moves from the beaker and into the visking tubing and its effect to the level of sucrose solution in the capillary tube.

Start of the experiment

Visking tubing

No sucrose
Many sucrose
molecules
molecules
Concentration gradient

diffusion
Many water
Few water molecules
molecules Concentration gradient

Water in the beaker

End of the experiment

1. Level of sucrose
solution rises
2. visking tubing
swells

Many sucrose
molecules No sucrose
Concentration gradient molecules

Fewer water
More water molecules than
molecules than Not much concentration gradient before
before

Water in the beaker

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Osmosis and Plant cells
Effect of osmosis on plant cells
In water
- the cell sap of plant cells has lower water
potential than water outside.
- The water molecules from outside enter the
cells by osmosis.
- The increase number of water molecules in the
cells cause turgor pressure to be formed in the
sap vacuole.
- Turgor pressure pushes the cytoplasm outward
towards the cell wall.
- The cell becomes hard and longer.
- The cell is now TURGID.
Osmosis and animal cells
Effect of osmosis on animal cells
In water
- The cytoplasm of animal cells has lower water
potential than the water outside.
- The water molecules outside enter the cells by
osmosis.
- The cell swell up and eventually burst because
In strong solution
- The cell sap has higher water potential than the
solution outside.
- The water molecules from the cell sap move
out of the cell by osmosis.
- As so many water molecules move out of the
cell, the cell loses its turgor pressure.
- The cytoplasm and the cell membrane
detached from the cell wall.
- The cell becomes soft, flabby and shorter.
- The cell is now FLACCID or PLASMOLYSED.
- This process is called PLASMOLYSIS.
In strong solution
- The cytoplasm of the animal cell has higher
water potential than the solution outside.
- Water molecules move out of the cell by
osmosis.
- The cells lost water and shrink.

they don’t have cellulose cell wall.
Potato cup experiment
The experiment was set up as below and was left for 2hrs.
1. Raw potato with sugar / salt
in the cup and water in the
trough/petri dish.
After 2 hours:
- The water rises up
- The sugar/salt dissolve
Why?
Because high water potential
outside the cup and lower water
potential inside the cup (due to
presence of sugar/salt).
Hence, water molecule move from
outside the cup and into the cup.
Rise in water level within the cup
will be seen and dissolve the sugar /
salt.
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2. Raw potato with water in 3. Boiled potato with sugar in
the cup and sugar solution the cup and water in the
in the trough/petri dish. trough/petri dish.
After 2 hours: After 2 hours:
- Water move out from the - No changes
cup
- Water level inside the cup
decreases.
Why? Why?
Because there’s high water Because boiling kills the cells.
potential inside the cup and lower
water potential outside the cup.
Water molecules will move from
inside the cup to outside of the cup.
Hence, water level inside the cup
will decrease.
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Importance of osmosis to plants

Osmosis makes plant cells turgid if they are surrounded with water or solution having higher water potential than
the cell sap. This is important for:

1. Opening and closing of stomata

- During the day, water from the root moves into leaf cells for photosynthesis. This causes the guard cells of
the stomata to become turgid and cause the stoma to open.
- This allows movement of gases into and out of the leaf.
- At night, or if water is scarce, the guard cells become flaccid causing the stomata to closed.

2. Support of plant tissues

- When a plant is well watered, water molecules from the soil move up the plant by osmosis. This causes the
plant cells to be turgid. There will be turgor pressure which pushes the contents of cells to be push against
the cell wall, thereby give support to the plant tissues.
- LEAVES ARE ENTIRELY SUPPORTED BY TURGOR PRESSURE.

3. Uptake of water from the soil

- Soil water has higher water potential than the cell sap of root hair cells so water move in the root hair cells
by osmosis.
- The root hair cells have higher water potential than the adjacent (next to) cells so water molecules move
into the cells by osmosis.
- The movement goes on and on until the water molecules reach the xylem vessels.
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ACTIVE TRANSPORT

DEFINITION:

Movement of particle from a region of lower concentration to a region of higher concentration, against/up the
concentration gradient, in the presence of ATP energy.

- The direction of movement in active transport is usually INTO the cell from outside the cell across a semi-
permeable membrane.
- There is a need for a carrier protein to help the particles to move across the membrane.
- To do this, the carrier protein need to be paid.
- Means of payment is not monetary but by using ATP energy.
- Energy is obtained through process of respiration in the mitochondria of the cells.

Examples of active transport:

A) Ions uptake by root hairs

Plants need to absorb mineral salts from the soil. These mineral salts are in very dilute solutions in the soil.
They are more concentrated in the cell sap of the root hairs. Thus, the ions are transported into root hairs
against a concentration gradient.
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B) The uptake of glucose and amino acids in the villi.

Glucose and amino acids move through the walls of ileum by diffusion. This cause the concentration of
glucose and the amino acids are higher inside the cells.

Glucose and amino acids need to be absorbed very

quickly and diffusion alone cannot cope with this. So,
active transport enable the absorption to be completed
in the small intestine.

The presence of microvilli increases the surface area

over which active transport occur.

Comparison: diffusion, osmosis & active transport

DIFFUSION OSMOSIS ACTIVE TRANSPORT

PARTICLES Any particles Water molecules Any particles

ACROSS A MEMBRANE? Yes, but can also occur Yes Yes

without membrane

DIRECTION OF High concentration to High water potential to Low concentration to

MOVEMENT? low concentration low water potential high concentration

DOWN/ACROSS Down Down Up/across/against

CONCENTRATION
GRADIENT?
DO PARTICLES MOVE ON Yes Yes No
THEIR OWN WILL?
IS ENERGY REQUIRED? No No Yes