Activity 5

Membrane Transport
Introduction:
The plasma membrane of cells is responsible for the regulation of the materials entering
and exiting our cells. Material regulation assures that the cell will not be filled by excessive
solutes or ions which can hinder their activity. Common examples of membrane transport
include diffusion and osmosis which is the main focus of this activity. This activity will explore
the different modes of transport of materials using common household items.
Materials:
● Water of varying temperatures (cold, hot, and warm)
● Container
● Food coloring
● Potato
● Sugar
● Ruler
● Vinegar

Methods: (Do not forget to document your methods)

A. Diffusion
1. Prepare three containers and add in waters of different temperatures. Make sure that
the volume of water is the same for every container.
2. One by one, place a drop of a food coloring in each container.
3. Record the time it takes for the drop to completely diffuse in the water.
B. Osmosis
1. Remove the peels of the potato and cut it into 4 different cubes with the same
measurement.
2. Place about a cup of water in the first two containers. For the last container, add a cup
of vinegar.
3. For the first container, mix 5 tablespoons of sugar. For the second container, do not
add anything.
4. Submerge the cubed potato in each liquid.
5. Record the size of the potato every 30 minutes for 6 hours.

A. Diffusion B. Osmosis
Diffusion

Osmosis
 Activity Worksheet
A. Results: (Insert images of the procedure at the back page or a separate sheet)

A. Diffusion
Record your observation for the time of diffusion.

Temperature Time of Diffusion

Cold Water 40.69 seconds

Warm Water 24.34 seconds

Hot Water 17.18 seconds

B. Osmosis
Record your observation for the size of the potato.
I. Potato + Sugar Solution
Time Length Width

0 min (Initial Size) 0.68 inches 0.87 inches

30 min 0.62 inches 0.81 inches

1 hour 0.62 inches 0.75 inches

1 hour and 30 min 0.75 inches 0.68 inches

2 hours 0.75 inches 0.75 inches

2 hours and 30 mins 0.68 inches 0.75 inches

3 hours 0.75 inches 0.75 inches

3 hours and 30 mins 0.75 inches 0.75 inches

4 hours 0.68 inches 0.75 inches

4 hours and 30 mins 0.68 inches 0.68 inches

 5 hours 0.75 inches 0.75 inches

5 hours and 30 mins 0.68 inches 0.75 inches

6 hours 0.68 inches 0.75 inches

II. Potato + Water

Time Length Width

0 min (Initial Size) 0.68 inches 0.87 inches

30 min 0.75 inches 0.87 inches

1 hour 0.75 inches 0.87 inches

1 hour and 30 min 0.75 inches 0.87 inches

2 hours 0.75 inches 0.93 inches

2 hours and 30 mins 0.87 inches 0.93 inches

3 hours 0.87 inches 0.93 inches

3 hours and 30 mins 0.87 inches 0.93 inches

4 hours 0.87 inches 0.93 inches

4 hours and 30 mins 0.87 inches 1 inch

5 hours 0.93 inches 1 inch

5 hours and 30 mins 0.93 inches 1 inch

6 hours 0.93 inches 1 inch

III. Potato + Vinegar
Time Length Width

0 min (Initial Size) 0.68 inches 0.87 inches

30 min 0.68 inches 0.87 inches

1 hour 0.68 inches 0.87 inches

1 hour and 30 min 0.68 inches 0.87 inches

2 hours 0.68 inches 0.87 inches

2 hours and 30 mins 0.68 inches 0.87 inches

3 hours 0.68 inches 0.87 inches

3 hours and 30 mins 0.68 inches 0.87 inches

4 hours 0.68 inches 0.87 inches

4 hours and 30 mins 0.68 inches 0.87 inches

5 hours 0.68 inches 0.87 inches

5 hours and 30 mins 0.68 inches 0.87 inches

6 hours 0.68 inches 0.87 inches

B. Guide Questions
1. Are there differences in the diffusion timing among the three set ups? How does the
temperature affect the rate of diffusion?
- After completing the first experiment, I was able to see that there is a difference between
the three set ups. The cup with hot water diffused the fastest and the cup with cold water
diffused the last. The temperature affects the rate of diffusion due to the direct
relationship of temperature to energy and diffusion. If an object has high temperature
(such as the hot water), it contains a high amount of energy, which causes the movement
of molecules. Therefore, if an object has high temperature, the rate of diffusion increases.

2. Are there differences in the sizes of the potato submerged in different solutions? Why
does the shape of the potato change every observation?
- Upon observing the three set ups, I learned that the different solutions affected the size of
the potato differently. The potato submerged in the sugar solution shrunk and became less
dense compared to the other two. The potato submerged in vinegar did not change in size.
And lastly the potato submerged in water alone grew slightly bigger than its initial size.
- These changes in the size of the potatoes are caused by osmosis. Osmosis is known as the
movement of the solvent from a low concentration to a high concentration, passing
through a semipermeable membrane. A high glucose concentration would mean low
water potential and a low glucose concentration would mean high water potential. In this
experiment, the potato is put in a sugar solution which has lower water potential
compared to the potato. To reach equilibrium, water from the potato will exit and go into
the sugar solution thus causing the potato to decrease in size. For the potato submerged in
water alone, the potato is put in water which has a higher water potential than the potato.
This causes water to be absorbed into the potato thus causing the potato to increase in
size. Lastly, the water potential of a potato and vinegar is equal thus causing its size to
remain the same.

3. How would you return the potato into its initial shape?
- To return the initial shape of the potato, the previous action performed on it must be
contradicted. For the potato submerged in sugar solution, it may be submerged in pure
 water to reintroduce water for it to absorb and increase in size. For the potato submerged
in water, it may be put in a sugar solution to decrease its size.

4. Differentiate the mechanism of diffusion and osmosis.

- Diffusion and Osmosis are both types of passive transport processes, but they may be
distinguished by the material that they transport. Diffusion is defined as the movement of
solute from a high concentration to a low concentration. It may take place in the three
states of matter (solid, liquid, gas). The overall effect is to equalize the concentration by
filling in the vacant spaces. Osmosis on the other hand is defines as the movement of the
solvent from a low concentration to a high concentration. It always involves a semi-
permeable membrane that facilitates the entire movement. The solvent moves to dilute
the concentrated solution and equalize the concentration. This process only takes place on
liquids. For diffusion, both the solute and solvent particles are free to move while only
the solvent molecules cross the membrane for osmosis.

5. At a cellular level, what would happen if the plasma membrane of the cell will be
damaged?
- In a cell, the plasma membrane serves as a barrier. It assures that no organelles suddenly
exit the cell, and no material/organism can immediately enter the cell. It also may serve
as a receptor or enzyme and is responsible in cell-to-cell communication. The damaging
of the plasma membrane result in the loss of osmotic balance, disturbance of cell’s
homeostasis, loss of the constant composition of the cell which disrupts the normal
functioning of the cell. It will also cause the cellular contents to leak out, thus killing the
cell.

Conclusions:

After completing the activity, I was able to further understand the concept of the two passive
transport processes in cells. I can identify the importance, function, and processes of both
diffusion and osmosis, and I can better differentiate the two. They are both defined as the
movement of materials in and/or out of the cell without energy consumption and are both meant
to equalize concentration to be able to efficiently transport water, nutrients, and necessary
chemicals.