D2.3: Water Potential Flashcards
Identify solvent and solutes of a solution.
Solvent:
- Medium in which solutes dissolve through solvation
Solute:
- Substance that is dissolved in a solvent to form a solution
Define solvation.
The interaction of a solvent with the dissolved solute
Explain why water is able to dissolve charged and polar molecules.
- Polar molecules and charged ions dissolve in water as they are hydrophilic - they can form H bonds with water; partially positive charged H atom of a water molecule gets attracted to the negatively charged O atom of another water molecule (VV for negatively charged O atoms)
- Therefore, water molecules surrounding ions (solute) create hydration shells that separate and form a uniform distribution throughout the solution (process is called dissolution)
Outline the solvation of hydrophilic and hydrophobic substances.
Hydrophilic:
- polar molecules (like water) are electrostatically attracted to ions; partially positive charged H atom of a water molecule gets attracted to the negatively charged O atom of another water molecule and VV for negatively charged O atoms.
Hydrophobic:
- Non-polar molecules (like lipids) are insoluble in water however they are attracted to other hydrophobic molecules thus, will clump together when exposed to water
Define osmolarity, isotonic, hypotonic and hypertonic.
Osmolarity:
- a measure of the solute concentration
Isotonic:
- a solution having the same solute concentration as another solution
Hypotonic:
- a solution having lower solute concentration than another solution
Hypertonic:
- a solution having higher solute concentrations than another solution
State the unit for concentration of a solute in a volume of solution.
mol dm^-3
Outline the net movement of water between hypotonic, hypertonic and isotonic solutions.
Net movement of water in isotonic solutions:
- there is equal movement of water into and out of the cell
Net movement of water in hypotonic solutions:
- there is a net movement of water from the solution into the cell causing it to swell
Net movement of water in hypertonic solutions:
- there is a net movement of water out of the cell into the surrounding solution
Compare the relative permeability of the plasma membrane to water and solutes.
Relative permeability of the plasma membrane to water:
- Not permeable to water; water moves freely by osmosis until a state of dynamic equilibrium
Relative permeability of the plasma membrane to solutes:
- Permeable to solutes; depends on its size and charge
Define osmosis.
Movement of water molecules across a semi-permeable membrane from a region of higher water potential to a region of lower water potential
State what form of transport is osmosis
passive transport
Explain what happens to cells when placed in isotonic, hypotonic and hypertonic solutions.
Cells placed in isotonic solutions:
- this results in dynamic equilibrium - no change in shape or size of a cell
Cells placed in hypotonic solutions:
- LYSIS OCCURS IF ANIMAL CELL and too much water moves into the cell
Cells placed in hypertonic solutions:
- Leads to cell shrinking and becoming CRENATED IF ANIMAL CELL and PLASMOLYSED IF PLANT CELL
Explain the change in mass and/or volume of plant tissues placed in either hypotonic or hypertonic solutions.
Determine the concentration of solutes in a plant tissue given changes in plant tissue mass and/or length when placed in solutions of various tonicities.
State the effects of hypertonic and hypotonic solutions on cells without a cell wall.
Explain why tissue fluid in multicellular organisms must be isotonic to the cells of the tissue.
Outline the role of the contractile vacuole in freshwater unicellular organisms.
Describe the strength and permeability of a cell wall.
Explain the effects of hypertonic and hypotonic solutions on cells with a cell wall with specific reference to turgor pressure and plasmolysis.
State the effects of isotonic, hypertonic and hypotonic solutions on human cells.
Outline the use of “normal saline” in medical procedures.
Define water potential.
State the symbol and unit for water potential.
Outline factors that contribute to water potential in living systems.
State that pure 20° water at standard atmospheric pressure as a water potential of 0kPa.
