REMINDER

B3- MOVEMENT IN AND OUT OF CELSS

SUMMARY

DIFFUSION OSMOSIS

Net movement of molecules (particles) from a region of

The movement of water molecules from a region of high water concentration to a
Deffinition their higher concentration to a region of their lower
region of low water concentration across a semipermeable membrane
concentration

The movement of solutes (oxygen, carbon dioxide,

Substances The movement of water molecules
digested food substances,..)

Concentration The concentration gradient is the difference in

gradient concentration of a substance between two areas.

- The ability of a cell to draw water into itself is called water potential.
- The difference between the water potentials of two liquids is known as the water
Water potential
potential gradient. When two regions of different water potential are separated by a
– water potential
partially permeable membrane, water moves from the region of higher
gradient
water potential to lower water potential. Water molecules move down the water
potential gradient

Not require semi-permeable membrane

(Semi-permeable membrane has tiny holes in it.
Semipermeable
These holes are small enough for water molecules to pass Require semi-permeable membrane
membrane
through but larger molecules cannot pass through. It is also
called partially permeable membrane)

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 DIFFUSION OSMOSIS

- Surface area of the membrane increases, the rate of

diffusion also increases - Solutes:
- Distance between the substances and the membrane: + A low concentration of dissolved solutes means a high concentration of water
shorter --> diffuses faster molecules.
Factors affecting
- Particle medium: Gas diffuses fastest compared to + A high concentration of dissolved solutes means a low concentration of water
the rate
liquid and solid. molecules
- Temperature: higher temperature --> diffuse faster - Pressure: pressure between two sides of a cell membrane affects on water potential.
- Concentration gradient: higher gradient --> diffuse - Gravity: causes water to move downwards.
faster

Passive or active passive process (passive process: not require energy to

passive process
process move particles)

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 DIFFUSION OSMOSIS

Application in human
body/plant

Digested food substances from the small

intestine entering the blood

Animal cells
Diffusion of oxygen in red blood cell

Supplement: Haemodialysis (artificial

kidney)

Plant cells Carbon dioxide entering leaf cells

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EXERCISE IN CLASS
Q1. 2018-Oct Nov-qp11-2
Which process depends on diffusion?
a. Circulation
b. Digestion
c. Gaseous exchange
d. Phagocytosis
Solution: c

Q2. 2020-March-qp12-3
Diagram 1 represents a solution of glucose which has had some protein molecules added.
Diagram 2 represents the result after four hours.

Which process is responsible for this result?

a. Absorption
b. Diffusion
c. Digestion
d. Osmosis
Solution: b

Q3. Cambridge combined science 1, 2/29

Explain why some particles can diffuse through cell membranes but not others.
Solution:
Only particles that are small enough to pass through the membrane can diffuse. Larger molecules
cannot diffuse through the membrane.

Q4. Cambridge combined science 4, 5, 6/35 a.

a) Red blood cells are unusual because they contain no nucleus. When they are damaged, they
have to be replaced with new cells from the bone marrow.
Explain how this is different from other cells
b) An old-fashioned way of killing slugs in the garden is to sprinkle salt on them. This kills the
slugs by drying them out. Explain why this works
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c) Copy and complete the table to compare diffusion and osmosis

Solution:
a) As red blood cells have no nucleus, there is nothing to control cell division. So they cannot
divide like many other cells to replace damaged cells and must be replaced with new cells
from the bone marrow.
b) The salt forms a very concentrated solution on the slug’s surface, so water leaves its body
by osmosis.
c)

Q5. Cambridge combined science 7/35

Which of the following are examples of diffusion, osmosis or neither?
a. Carbon dioxide entering a leaf when it is photosynthesizing
b. Food entering your stomach when you swallow
c. A dried-out piece of celery swelling up when placed in a bowl of water
Solution:
a. Diffusion
b. Neither
c. Osmosis

Q6. Cambridge combined science 8/35

There are many membranes within a cell, separating off organelles that produce substances such
as hormones and enzymes, or where cell processes such as photosynthesis and respiration occur.
Explain fully the importance of these membranes and why it is an advantage to the cell to have
them.

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Solution:
The membranes control what enters and what leaves the organelle. This means that different
conditions can be set up in one organelle for a particular process than in a different organelle
where something else happens. This make it possible for many different processes to go on in one
cell at the same time.

Q7. Cambridge igcse biology 1/16

a. State the term used to describe the diffusion of water through a partially permeable
membrane
b. Which part of a cell is a partially permeable membrane?
c. Outline what happens to a piece of plant tissue if it is placed into a very concentrated
solution.
d. Explain how osmosis is involved in the take-up of water from the soil by plants
e. Give two examples of active transport in animals
Solution:
a. Osmosis
b. Cell membrane
c. The cells lose water by osmosis. The tissue shrinks and loses mass
d. Water moves down a water potential gradient from the soil into root hair cell, through their
partially permeable cell membranes.
e. The movement of glucose from the alimentary canal into the blood.
The movement of glucose from kidney tubules into the blood.
Or gaseous exchange in the blood.

Q8. Combined and co-ordinated sciences – Mary Jones - B2.03/12

A student investigated the effect of different concentrations of sugar solutions on some potato
cylinders. He took a large potato and used a cork borer to cut out several cylinders, each exactly
the same diameter. He trimmed the peel off the ends of the cylinders, and then cut them into
exactly 1 cm lengths. He then measured the mass of each piece.
He placed one piece of potato in each of six beakers. He then covered each piece with either
water, or one of five different concentrations of sugar solution. He used the same volume of
solution in each beaker.
The student left the potato pieces in the beakers for 30 minutes. Then he removed them from the
beakers, blotted them dry with filter paper and measured their mass again. His results are shown
in Table 1.

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Table 1.

a. In the space below, draw your own results table and fill in the student’s results. Include a
row or column showing the change in mass. Take care to head each column and row fully,
with units.
b. Decide if there are any anomalous results. If you think there are, draw a ring around them
c. Display the results as a line graph on the grid below. Put concentration of solution on the
x-axis and change in mas on the y-axis. Remember to include units in your axis labels.

d. Use your knowledge of osmosis to explain the results.

e. Suggest how the student could have changed his method to make his results more reliable.
Solution
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Solution:
a. Draw a table in which there are columns and rows which show the student’s results
clearly.
- The table should have rows or columns for percentage concentration of the solution, and
rows or columns for the mass of potato pieces, with the unit g in the heading.
- Students should also calculate the change in mass.
- The following is an example of suitable results table

b.

The mass of the potato piece soaking in 0.5 % solution has increased, but it would be
expected to decrease. This does not follow the pattern of the other results and so is
anomalous.

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c.

- Plot every point of the results on the grid. (See the grid above to have an idea how to plot a
point of result on the grid)
- Draw a line that goes nearest to all of the ponts, except the point which represents the
anomalous result. (Because it is anomalus results, it is not correct. Thus, we eliminate it)
(The line can be straight or curve. In this case, it should be a curve line because it can goes
through nearest all of the correct points of the results).

d. - The 0 and 0.1% solutions had a higher water potential than inside the potato cells, so
water moved in by osmosis and made the cells increase in mass.
- The 0.2% solution had a water potential equal to that of the potato cells, so there was no
net movement of water into or out of the cells (the same amount went in as came out) so
there was no change in mass.
- The solutions with higher concentrations than this had water potentials lower than that of
the potato cells, so water moved out of the cells by osmosis and their mass therefore
decreased.
e. Have several pieces of potato in each solution, and calculate a mean change in mass for
each.