Topic 2 Transport And Exchange Flashcards
What is gas exchange?
The process by which organisms exchange gases with their environment, involving diffusion.
Define diffusion.
The net movement of particles from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration.
What is the concentration gradient?
The path from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration.
Is diffusion an active or passive process?
Passive process — no energy is needed.
What two characteristics do most gas exchange surfaces have in common?
- Large surface area to volume ratio
- Thin surface (often one layer of epithelial cells)
What is Fick’s Law?
A law that relates the rate of diffusion to the concentration gradient, surface area, and thickness of the exchange surface.
According to Fick’s Law, what happens if the surface area doubles?
The rate of diffusion will double.
What happens to the rate of diffusion if the thickness of the surface halves?
The rate of diffusion will double.
What effect does temperature have on the rate of diffusion?
The rate of diffusion increases with temperature due to increased kinetic energy of molecules.
Describe how surface area to volume ratios affect gas exchange.
Larger objects have smaller surface area to volume ratios, resulting in slower rates of exchange.
What is the surface area to volume ratio of a small cube with a surface area of 24 cm² and volume of 8 cm³?
3:1
What is the permeability constant for oxygen across the alveolar epithelium?
0.012 s⁻¹
Calculate the rate of diffusion of oxygen across the alveolar epithelium given the concentrations.
3.7 × 10⁻¹⁸ mol um⁻² s⁻¹
What is the gas exchange surface in mammals?
The alveolar epithelium in the lungs.
How does oxygen move during gas exchange in the lungs?
Oxygen diffuses out of the alveoli, across the alveolar epithelium and into the blood.
What features of the mammalian lungs increase the rate of gas exchange?
- Lots of alveoli (large surface area)
- Alveolar epithelium and capillary endothelium are one cell thick
- Good blood supply from capillaries
True or False: Breathing in and out helps maintain concentration gradients in the alveoli.
True
Fill in the blank: The smaller the surface area to volume ratio, the _______ the rate of exchange.
slower
What are the main components of cell membranes?
Lipids, proteins, carbohydrates
Mainly phospholipids, which are a type of lipid with a phosphate group attached.
What does the fluid mosaic model describe?
The arrangement of molecules in the cell membrane
Proposed in 1972, it illustrates the dynamic nature of the membrane.
What is the structure of phospholipid molecules?
A hydrophilic head and two hydrophobic fatty acid tails
The head attracts water, while the tails repel water.
What is the arrangement of phospholipids in the cell membrane?
Phospholipids form a bilayer
The hydrophilic heads face outward, and the hydrophobic tails face inward.
What role does cholesterol play in the cell membrane?
It increases rigidity at higher temperatures and fluidity at lower temperatures
Cholesterol fits between phospholipids, influencing membrane properties.
What are glycoproteins?
Proteins with attached polysaccharide chains
They are involved in cell recognition and signaling.
What are glycolipids?
Lipids with attached polysaccharide chains
They also contribute to cell recognition and stability.
What is the permeability of the cell membrane?
Partially permeable
Small molecules can pass through, while larger molecules require specific proteins.
What is osmosis?
The diffusion of free water molecules across a partially permeable membrane
It occurs from an area of higher concentration to lower concentration of water.
Fill in the blank: Osmosis is the diffusion of __________ molecules across a partially permeable membrane.
Water
This process is crucial for maintaining cell turgor and homeostasis.
True or False: The cell membrane is mainly composed of glycolipids.
False
The main components are lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates.
What did improved electron microscopy reveal about cell membranes?
They show a bilayer of phospholipids with proteins randomly distributed
This contradicted earlier beliefs of a continuous protein layer.
Describe an experiment that proved the fluidity of cell membranes.
Fusing a mouse cell with a human cell showed intermixed membrane proteins
This mixing indicated that the membrane is fluid.
What happens to water molecules during osmosis?
They diffuse both ways through the membrane, but net movement is to the lower concentration side
This process is essential for cell volume regulation.
What is the significance of the term ‘fluid’ in the fluid mosaic model?
It indicates that the components of the membrane can move laterally within the layer
This fluidity is crucial for membrane function and flexibility.
What does ‘partially permeable’ mean in terms of cell membranes?
It allows some substances to pass while restricting others
This property is vital for maintaining cellular environments.
What is the net movement of water molecules in osmosis?
From an area of higher concentration of water molecules to an area of lower concentration
The presence of solutes affects the concentration of water.
What did scientists believe about cell membranes before the 1970s?
They thought cell membranes were composed of a phospholipid layer between two continuous layers of proteins
This was based on earlier electron microscope images.
What is facilitated diffusion?
A passive transport process that uses carrier proteins and channel proteins to move molecules down a concentration gradient
Facilitated diffusion is used for larger molecules and charged particles that cannot diffuse directly through the phospholipid bilayer.
How do carrier proteins function in facilitated diffusion?
They move large molecules into or out of the cell by changing shape after binding the molecule
This process releases the molecule on the opposite side of the membrane.
What is the main difference between facilitated diffusion and active transport?
Active transport moves substances against a concentration gradient and uses energy, while facilitated diffusion does not
Active transport involves carrier proteins and requires ATP.
What energy source is used in active transport?
ATP
ATP is produced by respiration and acts as an immediate source of energy in the cell.
Define endocytosis.
The process by which a cell surrounds a substance with its cell membrane to take it in, forming a vesicle
This is used for large molecules that cannot enter through carrier proteins.
What is exocytosis?
The process of releasing substances from a cell by vesicles fusing with the cell membrane
This process is used to secrete substances like enzymes and hormones.
What substances can be taken in by endocytosis?
Proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, microorganisms, and dead cells
White blood cells, called phagocytes, use endocytosis to destroy microorganisms.
What occurs during the process of exocytosis?
Vesicles containing substances pinch off from the Golgi apparatus, move to the cell membrane, and release their contents outside the cell
Some substances are inserted directly into the cell membrane instead of being released.
True or False: Facilitated diffusion requires energy.
False
Facilitated diffusion is a passive process.
Fill in the blank: Active transport moves substances _______ a concentration gradient.
against
This process requires energy to move molecules from low to high concentration.
What is the role of membrane proteins in facilitated diffusion?
They facilitate the movement of specific molecules across the cell membrane by providing channels or carriers
Different proteins are specific to different molecules.
Explain the difference between endocytosis and exocytosis.
Endocytosis involves the intake of substances into the cell, while exocytosis involves the release of substances from the cell
Both processes utilize ATP for energy.
What is the permeability of the cell membrane?
The cell membrane is partially permeable, allowing some molecules to pass through while restricting others.
How can membrane permeability be investigated in the lab?
By performing an experiment using beetroot to measure pigment leakage under different conditions.
What factors affect the permeability of cell membranes?
- Temperature
- Alcohol concentration
What is the effect of temperature on beetroot membrane permeability?
Higher temperatures increase the permeability of the membrane.
What happens to beetroot cells at temperatures below 0 °C?
Phospholipids are rigid, and channel proteins deform, increasing membrane permeability.
What occurs in beetroot cells at temperatures between 0 °C and 45 °C?
Phospholipids move more freely, leading to increased membrane permeability.
What happens to the phospholipid bilayer at temperatures above 45 °C?
The bilayer begins to melt, increasing permeability and causing channel proteins to deform.
What is a colorimeter used for?
To measure the absorbance of a colored solution, indicating the amount of pigment released.
Describe the procedure for measuring the absorbance of beetroot solution.
- Calibrate colorimeter with pure water
- Transfer beetroot solution to a cuvette
- Record absorbance
What effect does increasing alcohol concentration have on membrane permeability?
Increases permeability by dissolving lipids in the cell membrane.
Fill in the blank: The higher the absorbance reading, the _______ light is passing through the solution.
less
True or False: Ice crystals can form in beetroot cells at low temperatures, potentially increasing permeability when thawed.
True
What are the temperature ranges associated with changes in membrane permeability?
- Below 0 °C: Rigid membrane
- 0 °C to 45 °C: Increased fluidity
- Above 45 °C: Melting of the bilayer
What is the significance of the colored pigment in beetroot cells during permeability experiments?
It serves as an indicator of membrane permeability, as it leaks out when permeability increases.
What is the relationship between alcohol concentration and membrane permeability based on the experiment?
As alcohol concentration increases, membrane permeability also increases.
What does a higher absorbance reading indicate about beetroot membrane permeability?
It indicates that more pigment has been released, meaning higher permeability.
What are the monomers of proteins?
Amino acids
Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins.
What is formed when two amino acids join together?
Dipeptide
A dipeptide is the simplest form of a protein chain.
What is a polypeptide?
More than two amino acids joined together
Polypeptides are longer chains that make up proteins.
What is the primary structure of a protein?
The sequence of amino acids in the polypeptide chain
The primary structure is crucial for determining a protein’s function.
What type of bonds hold the primary structure of a protein together?
Peptide bonds
Peptide bonds are covalent bonds formed between amino acids.
Describe the secondary structure of a protein.
Coiling into an alpha helix or folding into a beta pleated sheet
Secondary structures are stabilized by hydrogen bonds.
What interactions contribute to the tertiary structure of a protein?
Hydrogen bonds, ionic bonds, disulfide bonds, hydrophobic and hydrophilic interactions
These interactions determine the protein’s final 3D shape.
What is the quaternary structure of a protein?
The way multiple polypeptide chains are assembled together
Examples include proteins like hemoglobin and collagen.
What is unique about glycine among amino acids?
It doesn’t have carbon in its side group
Glycine is the simplest amino acid.
What is the role of disulfide bonds in proteins?
They form between cysteine molecules, stabilizing protein structure
Disulfide bonds are important for maintaining the tertiary and quaternary structures.
What defines globular proteins?
Round, compact structure made of multiple polypeptide chains
Globular proteins are typically soluble and functional in biological systems.
What is an example of a globular protein?
Hemoglobin
Hemoglobin carries oxygen in the blood and is soluble.
How are fibrous proteins characterized?
Long, insoluble polypeptide chains that form a rope shape
Fibrous proteins are often structural and strong.
What is an example of a fibrous protein?
Collagen
Collagen provides strength and structure to connective tissues.
Fill in the blank: Amino acids are linked together by _______ to form polypeptides.
Condensation reactions
During this process, a molecule of water is released.
True or False: The 3D structure of a protein is independent of its amino acid sequence.
False
The amino acid sequence dictates the folding and final structure.
What happens to a protein’s structure when it is heated to a high temperature?
Its ionic and hydrogen bonds break, leading to denaturation
Denaturation results in loss of function.
What are the four types of bonds that determine the 3D structure of a protein?
Peptide bonds, hydrogen bonds, ionic bonds, disulfide bonds
These bonds play critical roles in maintaining protein stability.
What are enzymes?
Biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions
What is a catalyst?
A substance that speeds up a chemical reaction without being used up
What types of reactions do enzymes catalyse?
Metabolic reactions at both cellular and organismal levels
Where can enzymes be located?
Intracellular (inside cells) or extracellular (outside cells)
What are enzymes made of?
Proteins
What is the active site of an enzyme?
The part of the enzyme where substrate molecules bind
Why are enzymes highly specific?
Due to their tertiary structure
What is activation energy?
The energy required to start a chemical reaction
How do enzymes affect activation energy?
They lower the amount of activation energy needed
What is the enzyme-substrate complex?
Formed when a substrate fits into the enzyme’s active site
What are the two reasons enzymes lower activation energy?
- Holds substrate molecules close together * Puts strain on bonds in the substrate
What does the ‘lock and key’ model describe?
How a substrate fits into an enzyme’s active site
What is the ‘induced fit’ model?
The substrate binding changes the shape of the active site slightly
Why is the ‘induced fit’ model considered a better theory?
It explains the specificity of enzymes and their binding to substrates
What determines the active site’s shape?
The enzyme’s tertiary structure
What happens if the tertiary structure of an enzyme is altered?
The active site changes shape and the substrate may not fit
What factors can alter the tertiary structure of an enzyme?
- Changes in pH * Changes in temperature
How does enzyme concentration affect the rate of reaction?
More enzyme molecules increase the likelihood of substrate collisions
What limits the effect of increasing enzyme concentration?
Limited substrate availability
How does substrate concentration affect the rate of reaction?
Higher substrate concentration increases reaction rate up to a saturation point
What happens to substrate concentration over time during a reaction?
It decreases unless more substrate is added
What is the initial rate of reaction?
The highest rate of reaction at the start due to maximum substrate availability
What is an enzyme?
A biological catalyst that speeds up chemical reactions in living organisms.
How can you measure the rate of an enzyme-controlled reaction?
By measuring how fast the product of the reaction is made or how fast the substrate is removed.
What does catalase catalyze?
The breakdown of hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen.
What is the role of a buffer solution in enzyme experiments?
To resist changes in pH when small amounts of acid or alkali are added.
Fill in the blank: The initial rate of reaction is the rate right at the start of the reaction, close to time equals _______.
zero
What is the formula to calculate the gradient of a tangent on a graph?
Gradient = change in y axis ÷ change in x axis.
What is the initial rate of reaction if the volume of product released is 50 cm³ over 18 seconds?
2.8 cm³ s⁻¹.
True or False: A straight line at the start of the reaction means you need to draw a tangent.
False
What is the name given to the amount of energy needed to start a reaction?
Activation energy.
What is an enzyme-substrate complex?
A temporary complex formed when an enzyme binds to its substrate.
What color change indicates the presence of starch in a solution?
It turns a dark blue-black color.
How does amylase affect starch concentration?
It catalyzes the breakdown of starch into maltose.