I. II.

Title Diffusion Background Diffusion occurs whenever concentrations of substances are not even throughout and area. This unequal distribution of particles is called a concentration gradient. Cells are surrounded by the plasma membrane, which is made up of a variety of different organic molecules, with the most common component being phospholipids. Plasma Membrane Phospholipid molecules are amphipathic, meaning that one end of the molecule is polar (phosphate head), while the other is nonpolar (lipid tail). The phospholipids molecules in a cell membrane line up in two adjacent layers, with phosphate groups on the outside and the nonpolar lipid tails in the center. Since water is a polar molecule, having a slight negative charge at one end, it is attracted to the polar phosphate groups. The lipid tails, which do not mix well with water much like salad oil in water - are hidden on the inside of the membrane and do not have to interact with the polar water molecules. This arrangement allows the cell membrane to mix well with the fluids, which are mostly water, both outside and inside the cell.

III.

Items and Procedures Per student Apron Gloves Goggles Per group 1 Cup, clear 2 Funnel, plastic 15 cm Soaked dialysis tubing 15 mL 15% Glucose/1% starch solution in medicine cup 1 Pipet, plastic 2 Glucose test strips 1 mL Starch indicator solution (IKI) 2 10-cm pieces of string Water, distilled 1) Fill the plastic cup with distilled water to within 1- 2 cm of the top. 2) Dip a glucose test strip into the water in the cup for 1 -2 seconds. Run the test strip along the edge of the cup to remove any excess liquid. Wait approximately 2 -3 minutes and observe any color change on the strip. A positive glucose test is indicated by a greenish color on the test strip. No color change will occur if the test result is negative. Record the results of the test in Data Table 1.

3) Using the plastic pipet, carefully add 20 25 drops of the starch indicator solution to the water in the cup. Observe what happens to the indicator solution as it mixes with the water. Record the color of the water. 4) Gently rub the tubing between your fingers to open the dialysis tube segment. 5) Tie one end of the tubing tightly with one piece of string. Make sure this end a. is tied tightly enough to prevent any leaks from the end of the bag. Fill the tubing with water and test it for leaks at a sink. Empty the tubing. 6) Insert the tip of the plastic funnel into the open end of the dialysis bag, and pour the 15 mL of 15% glucose/1% starch solution from the medicine cup into the tubing. 7) Squeeze all the air bubbles out of the tubing and tie the open end shut with another piece of string. Note the color of the starch-glucose solution in the dialysis tubing and record your observations. 8) Briefly rinse the outside of the bag under running water. Squeeze the bag gently to be sure that there are no leaks. If you find a bag leaking at an end, retie it securely. 9) Completely submerge the model cell into the cup of water and starch indicator solution. Allow osmosis and diffusion to occur for 30 minutes. 10) After 30 minutes, test the water in the cup for sugar content, as in Step 2. Note any color changes in the dialysis tubing and in the cup. Reword these observations in Data Table 1. 11) Be sure to wash your hands and clean up and dispose of any waste materials as directed by your teacher.