Transport Across Membranes Flashcards
Name the 5 ways in which substances are moved across membranes
- Simple diffusion
- Facilitated diffusion
- Osmosis
- Active transport
- Co-transport
Define simple diffusion
NET movement of molecules from an area of highER concentration to an area of lowER concentration
What is diffusion described as?
A passive, random process
Why is diffusion described as a passive, random process
- no external energy source is required (environmentally provided)
- particles move independently from eachother
What is meant by the phrase “no net diffusion”
There is no overall change - the same number of particles are diffusing in each direction
Do polar molecules diffuse slowly or quickly across lipid bilayers?
Slowly
Why do polar molecules diffuse slowly across lipid bilayers?
Diffusion is inhibited by the NON-POLAR fatty acid tails, which repel the polar molecules
Which factors affect the rate of diffusion and how?
- Temperature - An increase in temperature increases the kinetic energy of molecules, so rate diffusion increases
- Concentration gradient - The greater the concentration gradient, the greater the rate of diffusion
- Area of exchange surface - Higher area = rate of diffusion increases
- Length of diffusion pathway - A shorter length = rate of diffusion increases
What is the difference between simple and facilitated diffusion?
Facilitated diffusion relies on the proteins present in plasma membranes
Why is facilitated diffusion used?
Because large and/or polar molecules cannot diffuse across a lipid bilayer fast enough
Which two types of membrane protein are involved in facilitated diffusion
- Channel proteins
- Carrier proteins
What is a channel protein?
- Span the membrane
- Specific (allowing certain molecules/ions to pass through)
- Allows a specific molecule/ion to passively diffuse through
What is a carrier protein?
- Bind with specific molecules (complementary binding site)
- Change shape and release the molecule on the other side (the carrier changes shape)
- Red blood cells move glucose into them in this way
- Passive
What is osmosis?
Diffusion of a water molecule across a partially permeable membrane from an area of higher water potential to an area of lower water potential
What is water potential (Ψ) ?
- Pressure created by water molecules.
- Measured in kilopascals (KPa)
- Under standard conditions of temperature and pressure (250C and 100KPa) pure water has a water potential of 0KPa.
What is a solute?
The thing that is dissolved
What is a solvent?
What it is dissolved in