Homeostasis, Osmosis, Cell Transport

Question 1

What is osmosis?

Answer 1

Osmosis is how water molecules move from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration while moving across a semi-permeable membrane.

Question 2

What is diffusion?

Answer 2

Diffusion is the movement of molecules in fluid from areas of high concentration to areas of low concentration.

Question 3

Compare osmosis and diffusion:

Answer 3

Diffusion refers to the movement of molecules from an area of high concentration to an area of lower concentration. Osmosis is a type of diffusion specifically for water molecules moving across a semi-permeable membrane.

Question 4

Understand how concentration gradients help predict flow of water in or out of a cell:

Answer 4

Water has a concentration gradient in this system. Therefore, water will diffuse down its concentration gradient, crossing the membrane to the side where it is less concentrated. This diffusion of water through the membrane—osmosis—will continue until the concentration gradient of water goes to zero.

Question 5

When can a cell use passive transport to move solutes?

Answer 5

When a molecule moves down its concentration gradient is it participating in passive transport

Question 6

When can a cell use active transport to move solutes?

Answer 6

moving up the concentration gradient requires energy making it active transport.

Question 7

What is a solute?

Answer 7

A solute is defined as a substance that is dissolved in a solution.

Question 8

What is a solvent?

Answer 8

A solvent is a substance that dissolves a solute, resulting in a solution.

Question 9

Is water a solute or solvent?

Answer 9

Water is a solvent

Question 10

Understand drawings of solutes and make predictions. Can you explain why the dots spread out? Can you identify a high concentration? Solutes? What if there was a semi-permeable membrane?