BIO

100L Lab 4 Diffusion and Osmosis DIFFUSION and OSMOSIS Diffusion is the process by which substances move from an area of HIGH concentration to an area of LOW concentration until both areas contains equal amounts of substance. START FINISH

The figure above demonstrates the process of diffusion: substances are moving from an area of high concentration (lots of molecules) to an area of low concentration (no molecules), until both areas contain the same concentration of molecules. Osmosis is a type of diffusion that allows the transport of water across a selectively permeable membrane. In osmosis, it is the WATER molecules that are diffusing. Therefore, during osmosis water molecules are trying to go from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration. A selectively permeable membrane (like the cell membrane, which is made up of lipids and, therefore, does not dissolve in water) allows the passage of certain substances (e.g., water molecules), but excludes other larger molecules (e.g., sugar and salt (NaCl) molecules).

NaCl Molecule s

The water molecules ARE able to move across the selectively permeable membrane, but the larger NaCl molecules ARE NOT able to move across the membrane.

TONICITY Tonicity describes the amount of dissolved solutes in a solution outside of the confines of the cell membrane. In the following examples, the dissolved solutes are NaCl molecules. When two solutions are ISOTONIC to one another, they have an EQUAL amount of dissolved solutes. Solution A Solution B NaCl Molecule

Solution A and Solution B have 10 NaCl molecules each. This makes them ISOTONIC to one another.

When the solution outside the cell membrane is HYPOTONIC to the solution inside the cell membrane, the hypotonic solution outside the cell membrane has LESS dissolved solutes and MORE water molecules than the solution inside the cell. Because of this, water is generally moving FROM the hypotonic solution into the cell. When the solution outside the cell membrane is HYPERTONIC to the solution inside the cell membrane, the hypertonic solution has MORE dissolved solutes and LESS water molecules than the solution inside the cell. Because of this, water is generally moving TO to hypertonic solution outside of the cell. Solution A Solution B NaCl Molecule Solution A has 3 NaCl molecules, while Solution B has 8 NaCl molecules. This makes Solution A HYPOTONIC to Solution B, while Solution B is HYPERTONIC to solution A.

CELL BEHAVIOR IN RESPONSE TO TONICITY When cells undergo osmosis with solutions, they can behave differently. PLANT CELLS When a solution is ____________ TO the plant cell: ISOTONIC: Osmosis causes no change in the cell. HYPERTONIC: Osmosis causes PLASMOLYSIS, where the cells organelles pull away from the cell membrane due to the loss of water from the cell.

HYPOTONIC: Osmosis causes TURGOR, where the cells organelles are pushed into the cell membrane due to the influx of water into the cell. NORMAL (isotonic) PLASMOLYSIS (hypertonic)

TURGOR (hypotonic)

 ANIMAL CELLS When a solution is ____________ TO the animal cell: ISOTONIC: Osmosis causes no change in the cell. HYPERTONIC: Osmosis causes CRENATION, the shrinking of a cell due to the loss of water from the cell. HYPOTONIC: Osmosis causes LYSIS, where the cell swells to the point of bursting due to the influx of water into the cell.

EXAMPLES FROM LAB 4 Dialysis Bags Filled with Syrup Treatments: 1. 25% Syrup Water 2. 50% Syrup Water 3. Water 25% Syrup Note that there are NO solutions that are isotonic to one another. The dialysis bag (AKA the cells selectively permeable membrane) prevents the syrup molecules from diffusing. In Treatments 1 & 2, the solution in the beaker is HYPOTONIC to the solution in the dialysis bag. Therefore, the solution in the dialysis bag has MORE syrup molecules (dissolved solutes) and LESS water molecules than the solution in the beaker. The dialysis bags gain weight because there is a greater concentration of water in the beaker than there is in the dialysis bag. Water molecules move FROM the beaker (HYPOTONIC) TO the dialysis bag. Treatment 3 is an inverse of the previous situation. The solution in the beaker is HYPERTONIC to the solution in the dialysis bag. The dialysis bags lose weight because there is a greater concentration of water in the dialysis bag (15 mL in 25% syrup) than in the beaker. Water molecules move FROM the dialysis bag TO the beaker (HYPERTONIC).

Sheeps Blood Cells Treatments: 1. Blood Cells Water 2. Blood Cells 10% NaCl Solution 3. Blood Cells Contact Lens Solution (0.9% NaCl) Sheeps blood cells have approximately 0.9% NaCl. In Treatment 3, the blood cells and contact lens solution are isotonic to one another. In Treatment 2, the 10% NaCl solution has more salt than the sheeps blood cells. This means that the 10% NaCl solution is HYPERTONIC to the sheeps blood cells. The sheeps blood cells CRENATE due to the loss of water from the cell. In Treatment 1 the sheeps blood cells have more NaCl than the water. Therefore, the water is HYPOTONIC to the sheeps blood cells. The sheeps blood cells LYSE due to the influx of water into the cell. CRITICAL THINKING KEY TERMS: - Diffusion - Isotonic - Plasmolysis - Osmosis - Hypotonic - Crenation - Selectively - Hypertonic (crenate) Permeable - Turgor Membrane - Lysis (lyse) QUESTIONS: 1. What substance diffuses in osmosis? 2. What effect did the membrane (dialysis bag) have on the diffusion of syrup molecules? 3. Explain what is happening (in terms of molecules) when the dialysis bags are changing weight. 4. When an Elodea cell is undergoing osmosis with a 10% NaCl solution, what will happen to it? What if it undergoes osmosis with water? FROM THE LAB: Carrot Submerged in Water and 10% NaCl Based on the above examples, can you explain what happened when the carrot was in the water? How about when it was in the 10% NaCl solution? Remember: Water doesnt have any salt.