Topic 1b - Transport in Cells Flashcards

1
Q

What is diffusion?

A

Diffusion is the spreading out of the particles of any substance in solution, or particles of a gas, resulting in a net movement from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

How do small particles/ molecules move in and out of cells?

A

Very small particles/ molecules can diffuse through the cell membrane.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

How do particles move in diffusion?

A

Freely.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What happens to big molecules?

A

Big molecules like starch and protein can’t fit through the membrane.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What are some examples of substances being transported in and out of cells by diffusion? (5)

A
  • oxygen and carbon dioxide in gas exchange
  • the waste product urea from cells into the blood plasma for excretion in the kidney
  • water
  • amino acids
  • glucose
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What are the factors that affect the rate of diffusion? (3)

A
  • concentration gradient (difference in concentrations)
  • temperature
  • surface area (of the membrane)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

How does the concentration gradient affect the rate of diffusion?

A

The bigger the concentration gradient (difference in concentrations), the faster the rate of diffusion because the net movement from one side is greater.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

How does the temperature affect the rate of diffusion?

A

The higher the temperature, the faster the rate of diffusion because the particles have more energy and therefore move faster.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

How does the surface area affect the rate of diffusion?

A

The larger the surface area (of the membrane), the faster the rate of diffusion because more particles can pass through at once.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Do single-celled organisms have a large SA:Vol? What does this allow?

A

A single-celled organism has a relatively large surface area to volume ratio. This allows sufficient transport of molecules into and out of the cell to meet the needs of the organism.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Do multicellular/larger organisms have a smaller or larger SA:Vol than smaller organisms?

A
  • larger organisms = smaller SA:Vol
  • smaller organisms = larger SA:Vol
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

How do you calculate an organisms Volume and Surface area?

A

Estimate the size of an organisms in the form of a block;

  • Volume = length x width x height
  • Area of one side = length x width
  • Surface area = area of all the sides added together
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is the need for exchange surfaces and a transport system in multicellular organisms?

A

Multicellular organisms have a smaller SA:Vol, so not enough substances are able to diffuse from their outside surface to supply them with everything they need, therefore they need an exchange surface for diffusion.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

How is the effectiveness of an exchange surface is increased? (4 adaptations)

A
  • having a large surface area so lots of a substance can diffuse at once
  • a membrane that is thin, to provide a short diffusion pathway
  • (in animals) having an efficient blood supply, by having lots of blood vessels to get things in and out of the blood quickly
  • (in animals, for gaseous exchange) being ventilated - air moves in and out
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Where are villi found? What do they do? How are they adapted (3)?

A
  • found in small intestine - mammals
  • absorb food molecules (amino acids, glucose) into the blood stream

Adaptations;
- many villi increase the SA:Vol of the small intestine
- walls of the villi = 1 cell thick/single layer of surface cells - to ensure a short diffusion pathway
- a good blood supply maintains a steep concentration gradient

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Where are alveoli found? What do they do? How are they adapted (3 adaptions)?

A
  • found in the lungs - mammals
  • the alveoli carry out gas exchange (oxygen absorbed into bloodstream + carbon dioxide released)

adaptations;
- millions of alveoli in each lung, providing large SA for diffusion
- alveoli has a moist surface for gases to dissolve
- a large capillary network ensures that blood constantly moves oxygen away from the lungs - maintaining a steep concentration gradient

17
Q

What do the gills of a fish do? How are they adapted? (3 adaptations)

A
  • the gills carry out gas exchange under the water (oxygen = absorbed into the blood + carbon dioxide is released)

adaptations;
- many gill filaments provide a large SA for diffusion (each gill filament has folds in the surface, lamellae, to further increase the SA)
- the membrane of the gill filaments = 1 cell thick, providing a short diffusion pathway
- flow of blood = in opposite direction to the flow of water across the gill filaments, so there is a steep concentration gradient

18
Q

What do the leaves do - in terms of diffusion? How are they adapted (3)?

A
  • leaves carry out gas exchange (carbon dioxide is taken into the leaf + oxygen is released)

adaptations
- broad, flat shape provides a large SA for diffusion
- leaf = thin, providing a short diffusion pathway
- many air spaces to allow gases to easily diffuse through the leaf, maintaining a steep concentration gradient

19
Q

What is osmosis?

A

Water may move across cell membranes via osmosis. Osmosis is the diffusion of water from a dilute solution (region of higher water concentration) to a concentrated solution (region of low water concentration) through a partially permeable membrane.

20
Q

What is osmosis a type of and what does it do?

A

Diffusion - passive movement of water molecules down the concentration gradient.

21
Q

Which side of the membrane does water go during osmosis?

A

The water molecules pass through to both sides of the membrane during osmosis, but because of the concentration gradient there is a net movement from high to low.

22
Q

What does Hypertonic mean? And what does this cause the cell to look like in animals and plants?

A
  • Hypertonic = The solution is concentrated/contains very little water.
  • Shrivelled in animal cells
  • Plasmolyzed in plant cells
23
Q

What does Hypotonic mean? And what does this cause the cell to look like in animals and plants?

A
  • Hypotonic = The solution is dilute/contains a lot of water.
  • Lysed in animal cells
  • Turgid (normal) in plant cells
24
Q

What does Isotonic mean? And what does this cause the cell to look like in animals and plants?

A
  • Isotonic = There is no difference in concentration between the solute and water, and the movement of water remains constant.
  • Normal in animal cells
  • Flaccid in plant cells
25
Q

What is the 12 step method for required practical 3 - diffusion practical with potatoes?

A
  1. Use a cork borer to cut five potato cylinders of the same diameter.
  2. Use the knife to trim off any potato skin on each potato cylinder. Then trim each potato cylinder so that they are all the same length.
  3. Accurately measure the mass of each potato cylinder.
  4. Accurately measure the length of each cylinder.
  5. Record your measurements in a table.
  6. Measure 10 cm(3) of each concentration of sugar or salt solution and put into boling tubes. Label each boiling tube clearly.
  7. Measure 10 cm(3) of the distilled water and put into the fifth boiling tube. Label the bolling tube cleady.
  8. Add one potato cylinder to each boiling tube.
  9. Leave the potato cylinders in the boiling tubes for a chosen amount of time.
  10. Remove the potato cylinders from the boiling tubes and carefully blot them dry with the paper towels.
  11. Measure the new mass and length of each potato cylinder again. Record your measurements for each concentration in your table.
  12. Calculate the percentage change of mass and length for each cylinder.
26
Q

How do you calculate the percentage change?

A

(final mass - initial mass) / initial mass x 100

27
Q

What does a positive and negative percentage change mean in regard to the potatoe practical?

A
  • Positive indicates that the potato has gained water by osmosis, meaning the solution is more dilute.
  • Negative percentage change suggests that the potato has lost water by osmosis, meaning the solution is more concentrated.
28
Q

What should you do after Required practical 3 - potato practical?

A

Plot a graph for percentage change in mass or length against sugar/salt solution concentration. (should be curved LBF)

29
Q

What conclusion can you make from the potato practical graph?

A

The point at which the line of best fit crosses the x-axis is the concentration of sugar/salt inside the potato, as this is where there would be no change in the mass of the potato.

30
Q

What is active transport?

A

Active transport moves substances from a more dilute solution to a more concentrated solution (against/up a concentration gradient). This requires energy from respiration.

31
Q

What is active transport used for?

A

Its used to move substances in and out of cells - allows cells to absorb ions from very dilute solutions.

32
Q

How is active transport used in plant roots? (3)

A
  • Active transport allows mineral ions to be absorbed into plant root hairs from very dilute solutions in the soil.
  • They can’t use diffusion, as there is usually more mineral ions in the root hair cells than the surrounding soil.
  • Plants require mineral ions for healthy growth.
33
Q

How is active transport used in the gut? (2)

A
  • It also allows sugar molecules/nutrients (glucose + amino acids) to be absorbed from lower concentrations in the gut into the blood which has a higher sugar concentration.
  • Sugar molecules (glucose) can then be transported and used for cell respiration.