Colegio San Agustin

Science Area
Academic Year 2023 - 2024

Name: Grade and Section:

Teacher: Date: Rubrics: (ARALINKS LINK HERE)

EXPT 1: INVESTIGATING CELL TRANSPORT

AT THE END OF THE LEARNING ACTIVITY, I CAN…
Investigate the factors affecting cell transport

Introduction
Think of a cell as a little, busy city where different materials are always coming and going to keep things running
smoothly. It's important for cells to live and carry out their specific duties, therefore this movement of materials
into and out of cells is referred to as "cell transport." We'll concentrate on two important variables influencing
cell transport in this introduction: cell size and temperature.

PART 1
TEMPERATURE and CELL TRANSPORT
First, let's talk about temperature. In the same way that people move faster and more efficiently in the
summer, molecules both inside and outside of cells are more active when the temperature rises. The rate at
which materials enter and exit cells may be impacted by this enhanced movement.

Diffusion is the passive movement of molecules from a region of higher concentration to an area of lower
concentration, and warmer temperatures are generally associated with higher rates of diffusion in cells. The
reason for this is that molecules move more quickly and have more energy at higher temperatures. This causes
substances to diffuse over the cell membrane more quickly, which facilitates the uptake of essential nutrients
and the elimination of waste by the cells.

On the other hand, these processes may slow down at lower temperatures. Cells may find it difficult to take in
nutrients or eliminate waste effectively, which might hinder the cells' ability to function as a whole. Imagine it
as a traffic jam in a metropolis; in the colder months, traffic flows more slowly, which disrupts the flow of
products and services. A decrease in temperature can also have an impact on the "traffic" of molecules into and
out of cells.
EXPT 1: INVESTIGATING CELL TRANSPORT
Materials: n and
Beetroot slices Use lab gow
gloves in
3 Test tubes
Water bath (Tap, Iced and Hot)
Test tube rack
Stopwatch g this
Distilled water
Test tube brush performin
t
experimen
Tongs
Pen light

Procedures:
1. Get 3 uniform beetroot slices.
2. Rinse the beetroot slices to remove any excess pigment from the surface.
3. Place these beetroot slices in test tubes filled with distilled water at various temperatures (Ensure there is
an equal number of slices in each test tube.)
4. Start the stopwatch and leave the beetroot cylinders in the water baths for 10 minutes. .
5. After the incubation period, remove the beetroot slices from the test tubes using tongs.
6. Using a penlight, try to let the light pass through the water set-ups.
Note: The pigment that has leaked into the water set-ups indicates the permeability of the cell
membrane.
7. Record and compare the results for each temperature to determine the effect of temperature on cell
membrane permeability.

data table:
DESCRIPTION:
TEMPERATURE OF WATER
(Color of water, how light pass through the water, etc)

TAP

HOT

COLD
EXPT 1: INVESTIGATING CELL TRANSPORT
QUESTIONS:
Identify the following:

Independent variable:

Dependent variable:

Controlled variables (Give at least 3):

Why was beetroot selected as the material for this experiment? How does it represent cell membranes?

Why were the beetroot slices washed with distilled water and dried before putting them in the water baths?.

What are the possible sources of error in this experiment, and how can they be minimized or controlled?

PART 2
CELL SIZE and CELL TRANSPORT
Now, let's turn our attention to cell size. Just like the size of a city can influence how quickly things move from
one place to another, the size of a cell can also impact the efficiency of cell transport. Smaller cells have a more
favorable surface area-to-volume ratio, which means they have a larger surface area compared to their internal
volume. This allows for faster and more efficient transport of substances because it's easier for molecules to
move across the cell membrane.
Larger cells, on the other hand, may face challenges in efficiently transporting substances. As they get bigger, the
surface area-to-volume ratio decreases, making it less favorable for rapid diffusion. Imagine a small city with a
well-designed road network compared to a sprawling metropolis with traffic congestion; it's easier for goods to
flow smoothly in the smaller city.

In summary, temperature and cell size play significant roles in cell transport. Temperature affects the speed of
molecular movement, while cell size influences the efficiency of substance transport in and out of cells.
Understanding these factors helps us comprehend how cells adapt to various conditions and maintain their vital
functions, no matter the "weather" or their size.
EXPT 1: INVESTIGATING CELL TRANSPORT
MATERIALS:
250 mL beaker
Potatoes
tongs
Iodine solution
petri dish
scalpel
ruler

WEAR SAFETY GLOVES WHEN HANDLING IODINE SOLUTION. RINSE OFF ANY SOLUTION THAT
SPILLS ON YOUR SKIN OR CLOTHING. USE CAUTION WHEN HANDLING THE SCALPEL TO CUT
POTATO CUBES

PROCEDURES:
1. Carefully remove the skin from the raw potatoes with scalpel. Then cut four potato cubes out of the bodies
of the potatoes. Each cube should have the same length, width, and height. For the first cube, make each
side equal to 0.5 cm. For the second cube, make each side equal to 1.0 cm. For the third cube, make each
side equal to 2.0 cm. For the fourth cube, make each side equal to 3.0 cm.
2. Put on your gloves. Pour 50 mL iodine solution into the beaker so that the liquid height will cover the
largest cube.
3. Carefully place each potato cube into the iodine solution using your tongs.
4. Start a timer to allow the potato cubes to incubate undisturbed for 5 minutes. While the cubes incubate,
calculate the surface area, volume, and surface area to volume ratio for each cube. Enter the values into
the data table. At the end of 5 minutes, remove the potato cubes from the iodine solution.
5. Place the cubes on a petri dish and slice each down the center. Measure the distance that the iodine
diffused into each “cell.”
6. Record your observations in the data table.

HOW TO COMPUTE: Width

SURFACE AREA

Area = Length x Width

Surface area= 6 x area
Length

SURFACE AREA TO VOLUME RATIO

Divide the surface area by the
VOLUME
volume of the cube
Volume = Length SA / v
x Width x Height
EXPT 1: INVESTIGATING CELL TRANSPORT
DATA TABLE:
SURFACE AREA DISTANCD
LENGTH PER SURFACE
VOLUME TO VOLUME IODINE
CELL SIDE AREA
(cm3) RATIO TRAVELED
(cm) (cm2)
(SA : V) (cm)

QUESTIONS:
Compare and Contrast: Summarize your observations of the distance traveled by the iodine in the four cells.

Did the cell size affect the extent of diffusion of iodine into the cells? Why or why not

Which cell would be able to supply itself most efficiently with nutrients diffusing in from the outside—a large
cell or a small cell? Why?