Lab 3 Flashcards
What is diffusion?
The passive movement of solutes from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration.
What is simple diffusion?
Movement of solutes without the assistance of transport proteins.
What is facilitated diffusion?
Movement of solutes with the help of transport proteins.
What is osmosis?
The movement of water across a semipermeable membrane from an area of low solute concentration to an area of high solute concentration.
What are semipermeable membranes?
Membranes that allow certain molecules or ions to pass through by diffusion.
What is osmolarity?
The total concentration of solutes in a solution.
What is tonicity?
The ability of a surrounding solution to cause a cell to gain or lose water, based on non-penetrating solutes.
What is a hypotonic solution?
Any external solution that has a low solute concentration and high water concentration, causing cells to swell.
What is an isotonic solution?
A solution with the same concentration of solutes as another solution, resulting in no net water movement.
What is a hypertonic solution?
A solution with a higher concentration of solutes compared to another solution, causing cells to shrink.
What are selective membranes?
Membranes that allow certain solutes to cross while blocking others.
What are inhibitors?
Molecules that decrease enzyme activity by binding to the enzyme.
What are competitive inhibitors?
Inhibitors that bind to the active site of an enzyme, competing with the substrate.
What are non-competitive inhibitors?
Inhibitors that bind to a site other than the active site, altering enzyme function.
What is an enzymes function?
Biological catalysts that lower the activation energy of reactions, increasing reaction rates.
