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Activity 1
Questions for Review:

1. Arrange the following according to decreasing rate of diffusion across the membrane.

A. Water B. Oxygen C. Glucose D. Ferric ion

Oxygen Water Glucose Ferric ion

Briefly explain the factor/s you considered in answering the above question.

I think oxygen to water to glucose to ferric ion is the arrangement in decreasing rate of
diffusion across the membrane. First is water, because it's a very small molecule that can
pass through the cell membrane by osmosis. Second is the oxygen, because it is small and
uncharged substances that can pass through the cell membrane, down their concentration
gradient, by simple diffusion. Third is glucose, since it is a large molecule, it is difficult to be
transported across the membrane through simple diffusion. Then last is the ferric ions because
it is large polar molecules enable to pass through the membrane by passive or active
transport.

2. Differentiate the following:

(a) simple diffusion; facilitated diffusion

Simple Diffusion movement is greater concentration to a region of a lower

concentration that the molecules can pass only in the direction of concentration gradient.
While facilitated diffusion is a form of passive transport that requires transport proteins in the
membrane and can pass both in direction and opposite of the concentration gradient

(b) facilitated diffusion; active transport

Facilitated diffusion is a form of passive transport that requires transport proteins in the
membrane and can pass both in direction and opposite of the concentration gradient. While Fundamentals of Biology
active transport is specialized membrane proteins that preferred to as pumps are involved
accompanied by input of cellular energy and used to transport molecules against their
concentration gradient.

(c) endocytosis;exocytosis
Endocytosis is a small segment of plasma membrane that folds inward forming a pouch
around the particle to be taken into the cell which then pinches off and released into the
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cytoplasm as a vehicle. While, exocytosis is a cellular products destined for secretion, first
packaged into vesicles which then are transported to the plasma membrane.
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3. Use this picture to answer the following questions.

1 2 3 4 5

a. Which beaker/s contain/s a solution that is hypotonic to the bag? Why?

1. Beakers 1 and 2
2. Beaker 2
3. Beakers 1, 4 and 5
4. Beakers 2 and 4

Hypertonic means that the concentration of solute surrounding the cell is higher than
that inside the cell. And the solute concentration in the beaker that is higher than the bag
shown in beakers 1, 2, and 5. While, beaker 3 is isotonic to the bag, and beaker 4 is hypotonic
to the bag.

b. Which bag would you predict to show the least change in mass at the end of the
experiment? Why?
1. Beaker 1
2. Beaker 2
3. Beaker 3
4. Beaker 4

Since the two solutions shown are isotonic, there will be no net gain or loss of water, and
therefore a negligible change in mass.

4. In an experiment, a student immersed plant tissue in salt solutions of different

concentrations. The student then observed the plant tissue under the microscope. In one of the
solutions the student concluded that the cells within the tissue were at incipient plasmolysis.
What observation had the student made that allowed her to make this conclusion?
Fundamentals of Biology
I think, he/she came up in that conclusion because he observed that when plant
cells are kept in concentrated salt solution, water will flow out from plant cells due to the
process of exosmosises and thus, cells shrink, called as plasmolysis and cells are called as
plasmolysis cells.
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