Unit 2 - Diffusion/osmosis/active transport Flashcards
Define diffusion
The net movement of particles from an region of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration
Is diffusion active or passive?
Passive
Define passive transport
Movement of substances that does not require energy
Define osmosis
The movement of water from a region of high water potential to a region of low water potential across a partially permeable membrane
Define facilitated diffusion
Diffusion across a plasma membrane through protein channels
Is facilitated diffusion passive?
Yes
Is osmosis passive or active?
Passive
Define active transport
The movement of molecules from an area of low concentration of that molecule to an area of high concentration of that molecule. This movement requires ATP
What sort of molecules tend to move via diffusion across a membrane?
- small molecules (e.g. gases)
- lipid soluble molecules
- non-polar molecules
How does water tend to move across membranes?
Through aquaporins (via osmosis)
Why can steroid hormones easily cross a membrane by simple diffusion?
- They are lipid soluble
- They are non-polar
Which 2 factors affect the rate of diffusion?
Temperature
Concentration difference
What effect does an increase in temperature have on the rate of diffusion?
It increases the rate of diffusion
What effect does a greater difference in concentration of two regions have on the rate of diffusion?
It increases the rate of diffusion
Why does a higher temperature increase rate of diffusion?
-higher temperature means particles have more kinetic energy and move at higher speeds
Why is it easier for oxygen to diffuse across a membrane than water?
- oxygen molecules are small and non-polar whereas water molecules are polar
- the hydrophobic interior of the phospholipid bilayer repels the charged molecules
- water is only partially charged so is still able to diffuse through the membrane, though only slowly
What 4 factors affect the rate of diffusion across a membrane?
- temperature
- concentration gradient
- surface area
- thickness of membrane
An increase in surface area of an exchange surface has what effect on rate of diffusion?
increases rate of diffusion
An increase in membrane thickness has what effect on the rate of diffusion?
Decreases rate of diffusion
Why are membranes containing protein channels selectively permeable?
- Most protein channels are specific to one molecule or ion
- Therefore only these specific molecules/ions are able to move across the membrane
What does facilitated diffusion allow to move across a membrane?
- larger molecules
- lipid insoluble molecules
- small charged particles
Give an example of a small charged particle that moves across membranes via facilitated diffusion
Na+
Give an example of a large molecule that moves across membranes via facilitated diffusion
Glucose or amino acids
What happens to carrier proteins when a specific molecule binds to them?
They change shape
How do protein channels allow charged particles to move through the membrane?
They provide a hydrophilic channel for charged particles
What are the 5 factors which affect the rate of facilitated diffusion?
- temperature
- concentration gradient
- membrane surface area
- membrane thickness
- number of channel proteins