1. What is Diffusion? Give an example of diffusion happening in the human body. Diffusion happens when molecules disperse themselves evenly throughout an enclosed area by colliding with other molecules (Wood, 2013, ex. 6). Because the molecules are not using ATP to move, simple diffusion is considered a passive mechanism of transport. Until the substance is equally distributed across the area it is contained in, it will continue to diffuse (Wood, 2013, ex. 6). Once the substance is equally distributed, it has reached equilibrium. A simple example of diffusion is when a sugar cube dissolves in a cup of hot coffee. When the sugar is first placed in the coffee, the sugar molecules are all in a centralized location; as time goes on, and diffusion
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Oxygen gasses are exchanged by the alveoli, which are tiny sacs in the lungs (“Boundless,” 2015). Before oxygen can pass through the respiratory epithelium, it must dissolve (“Boundless,” 2015). Gasses then move to a low area of partial pressure, a “measure of the concentration of the individual components in a mixture of gases” according to Boundless, from the area with a higher partial pressure via the partial pressure gradient (“Boundless,” 2015). 2. What is Osmosis? How is it different from diffusion? Give an example of osmosis. Osmosis is the diffusion of water through a semipermeable membrane from an area of greater concentration to an area of lower concentration (Wood, 2013, ex. 6). Osmosis happens when there is a different water concentration on each side of a plasma membrane (Wood, 2013, ex. 6). To constitute as osmosis, it has to be the movement of water, and it must involve a membrane. Osmosis differs from diffusion in a few different ways. Osmosis must involve water, and a semipermeable membrane (Wood, 2013, ex. 6). Diffusion can occur with other particles, and does not require a membrane; diffusion can happen when particles are in a gaseous state (“Diffusion and Osmosis,” n.d.). Diffusion and osmosis can both release waste products in the body, for example, diffusion exchanges the gases in the lungs and osmosis releases metabolic waste (“Diffusion and Osmosis,” …show more content…
Cell #4 started at a weight of 10.6g and stayed about the same throughout the experiment, ending with a weight of 10.36g. Because there was only water in and around the cell, it was in an isotonic solution. Water was moving back and forth through the semipermeable membrane at an equal rate. I am not sure how the weight of the cell decreased; we may have not tied the cell off tight enough, or there could have been a very small amount of solutes in the outside solution because we were using tap water. Cell #5 was the only cell to lose a significant amount of weight over the hour. The starting weight was 10.5g and decreased to 6.23g by the end of the experiment. This cell was sitting in a hypertonic solution because the solution outside the cell was made of 40% sucrose and 60% water, which caused the water in the cell to pass through the cell membrane in order to try and balance out the greater osmotic
Oxygen gasses are exchanged by the alveoli, which are tiny sacs in the lungs (“Boundless,” 2015). Before oxygen can pass through the respiratory epithelium, it must dissolve (“Boundless,” 2015). Gasses then move to a low area of partial pressure, a “measure of the concentration of the individual components in a mixture of gases” according to Boundless, from the area with a higher partial pressure via the partial pressure gradient (“Boundless,” 2015). 2. What is Osmosis? How is it different from diffusion? Give an example of osmosis. Osmosis is the diffusion of water through a semipermeable membrane from an area of greater concentration to an area of lower concentration (Wood, 2013, ex. 6). Osmosis happens when there is a different water concentration on each side of a plasma membrane (Wood, 2013, ex. 6). To constitute as osmosis, it has to be the movement of water, and it must involve a membrane. Osmosis differs from diffusion in a few different ways. Osmosis must involve water, and a semipermeable membrane (Wood, 2013, ex. 6). Diffusion can occur with other particles, and does not require a membrane; diffusion can happen when particles are in a gaseous state (“Diffusion and Osmosis,” n.d.). Diffusion and osmosis can both release waste products in the body, for example, diffusion exchanges the gases in the lungs and osmosis releases metabolic waste (“Diffusion and Osmosis,” …show more content…
Cell #4 started at a weight of 10.6g and stayed about the same throughout the experiment, ending with a weight of 10.36g. Because there was only water in and around the cell, it was in an isotonic solution. Water was moving back and forth through the semipermeable membrane at an equal rate. I am not sure how the weight of the cell decreased; we may have not tied the cell off tight enough, or there could have been a very small amount of solutes in the outside solution because we were using tap water. Cell #5 was the only cell to lose a significant amount of weight over the hour. The starting weight was 10.5g and decreased to 6.23g by the end of the experiment. This cell was sitting in a hypertonic solution because the solution outside the cell was made of 40% sucrose and 60% water, which caused the water in the cell to pass through the cell membrane in order to try and balance out the greater osmotic