Movement of substances in and out of cells

Substances can be exchanged between the cell and the external environment. Cells
continually take in substances that they need and get rid of the waste products There are three
main processes involved with the movement of substance needed and released from chemical
reactions in the cells. The processes are as follows: -

a) Diffusion
b) Osmosis
c) Active transport

Diffusion

Diffusion is a process whereby molecules of a substance move from a region of high

concentration to regions of low concentration/following a concentration gradient, until
equally distributed.
-The substance moving could be a gas, liquid (fluids) or dissolved solutes.
-Concentration gradient refers to the difference in concentration of molecules in two
regions.
-The effect of this difference in concentration is to make the molecules diffuse into/out of
the cell, until the concentration on both sides is the same.

Example of diffusion in gases and liquids

1. In Gases

2. In liquids
 Factors affecting the rate of diffusion.

i. Temperature
ii. Pressure
iii. Concentration gradient
iv. Size of the separating membrane (Distance)
v. Size of diffusing particles/ molecules

Temperature

The higher the temperature the faster the rate of diffusion and low temperature result slow
the rate of diffusion. As the temperature increases, the particles gain kinetic energy and
starts to move faster, therefore diffusion increases. At low temperature, the particles have
less kinetic energy, therefore low rate to diffusion as molecules move slowly.

Pressure

As pressure increases the rate of diffusion also increases, and lower pressure result in low
rates of diffusion.

The size of the membrane

Diffusion is effective over a thin membrane than a thick one. The shorter the distance, the
faster the rate of diffusion.

Concentration gradient

The ‘steepness’ of the concentration gradient that is the difference in concentration of the
substance on the two sides of the surface. If there are, many molecules on one side of the
membrane than on the other, then at any one moment more molecules will be moving
(entirely random) from this side than the other. The greater the concentration difference, the
higher the diffusion rate.

The nature of the molecules

Large molecules require more energy to get them moving than small ones do, so substances
with large molecules tend to diffuse slowly than ones with small molecules. Non-polar
molecules diffuse more easily through cell membrane than polar ones, as they are soluble in
the non-polar phospholipids’ tails.

EXAMPLES OF DIFFUSION

Examples of diffusion in plants

-Entrance of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into the leaves for photosynthesis.
-Oxygen coming out of the leaves into the atmosphere.
-Absorption of mineral salts from the soil.

Examples of diffusion in animals

-Movement of oxygen from lungs into blood stream.
-Movement of carbon dioxide from blood into lungs.
-Movement of waste products like urea from cells into blood.
-Absorption of digested food from ileum into blood.

2 OSMOSIS

It is the random movement of water molecules from their region of higher

concentration to their region of lower concentration along the concentration gradient
through a partially / selectively permeable membrane.

A partially permeable membrane has holes or pores in it which are very small, allowing the
small water molecules to pass through but not the larger molecules. It could be a cell
membrane or visking tubing.

Osmosis it is a special form of diffusion which only considers the movement of water
molecules
Similarities between Osmosis & Diffusion
▪ Particles are moving down the concentration gradient
▪ Both processes are passive, no energy is expended (used)

Differences between Osmosis & Diffusion

OSMOSIS DIFFUSION
Occurs mainly in liquids (only water Occurs in all states of matter (any
molecules are moved) particle is moved)
Materials are moved across a barrier (a Does not require a barrier (partially
partially permeable membrane membrane)
required)
 Effect of osmosis on animal cells

A cell can be exposed to the following conditions;

❖ Immersed in pure (distilled) water / dilute solution
❖ Immersed in a concentrated solution

Animal cell in distilled water or a dilute solution

If an animal cell e.g., a red blood cell, is placed in a dilute solution than its cytoplasmic
concentration or distilled water, it will gain water by osmosis. Water enters the cell as there
are more free water molecules outside (distilled water) than inside (cytoplasm). If the cell
continues to gain water the cell will swell up due to increased osmotic pressure and
eventually the cell will burst. This is because the cell membrane could not resist the osmotic
pressure as it is not strong enough.

Animal cell in a concentrated solution

If an animal cell is placed in a concentrated solution, it will lose water by osmosis from its
cytoplasm. There are more free water molecules in the cytoplasm of the animal cell than
outside a (concentrated solution), therefore water follow its concentration gradient. As the
water pass through the cell membrane, the cytoplasm shrinks, and the cell shrivels up as
shown below.
 Effect of osmosis in plant cells

Plant cell in a dilute solution or pure water (distilled water)

If a plant cell is placed in a dilute solution than its sap vacuole concentration it will gain
water by osmosis. Water enter the plant cell as there is more free water molecules outside
(dilute solution ) than inside, therefore water move down its concentration gradient. As the
water enters, the vacuole swells and pushes the cytoplasm and the cell membrane up against
the cell wall. If water continues to enter the cell it becomes firm, rigid and it is described as
turgid. It gain turgor pressure, the strong cell wall prevents the cell from bursting (as
happens to animal cells)

Once again, we see water molecules moving from a region of high water potential to a region
of low water potential through a partial permeable membrane. All cells are usually turgid, and
this helps to support the stem, leaves and flowers as this keep them firm.
Plant cell in a concentrated solution

If a plant cell is placed in a concentrated solution than its sap vacuole, it will lose water by
osmosis. This is because there are more free water molecules in the cell than outside
(concentrated solution). If the cell continues to lose more water its cytoplasm and vacuole
will shrink away from the cell wall. The cell loses its turgor pressure, and it is described as
flaccid and is said to be plasmolyzed.
Plasmolysis is the pulling away of the cell membrane from the cell wall due to excessive
loss of water by osmosis, while Wilting is when cells in the leaves and stem of a plant loses
more water by evaporation than they can gain or absorb.

ACTIVITY; The Effect of various sugar concentrations on potato tissue

Apparatus & materials

 5 different solns; 0%, 5%, 15%, 25% and 60%
 5 petri dishes
 Cork borer
 White tile
 Scalpel
 30cm ruler
 Large potato
 25ml measuring cylinder
Procedure
- Label the petri dishes A to E.
- Place equal volumes (10ml) of the sugar concentrations in the petri dishes as; 0% in
petri dish A
5% in dish B, 15% in dish C etc.
- Prepare 5 equal sized e.g. (40mm) potato slices by boring the potato using a cork borer
- Place one potato slice in each petri dish.
- Leave the potato slices in the solutions for 30 – 60 minutes. The remove the slices &
blot them with a paper tissue.
- Measure the final lengths of the slices and record the results as follows

Sugar soln Initial length Final length Change in length

0%
5%
15%
25%
60%

Practice Questions on the activity above;

➢ Plot a graph of sugar concentration against change in length
➢ From the graph, work out the concentration of the potato tubes
➢ At what concentration would the concentration of the sap vacuole of the potato
equal that of the surrounding sugar solution?
➢ What process is responsible for the change in length of the potato tubes?
➢ What is the formula for calculating the change in length of the potato tubes?
➢ What else can be measured to find out the effect of concentration on the potato
slices?

3. Active transport

This is the movement of substances from their area of low concentration to their area of high
concentration, that is against their concentration gradient with the use of energy.

The energy used in this process is released during respiration in cells.

Sometimes molecules which are essential may be found in low concentration but needed, and
then these are taken up by active transport.

Examples

Mineral ions are absorbed from the soil to be used by plants. These mineral salts may be
absorbed as the plant absorbs water as they may be dissolved in the water. At times these are
absorbed through diffusion following their concentration gradient.

In cases where these mineral salts are in low concentration in the soil active transport is used
to absorb them. Most soils in Botswana lack mineral ions such as magnesium, but it is needed
by the plant for chlorophyll synthesis then it has to be absorbed by active transport.
Active transport use carrier molecules to drag or move substances across the cell membrane
using energy

Differences between passive transport and active transport

Active transport Passive transport (diffusion+osmosis)

-energy is used to move molecules. –no energy is used to move molecules.
-substances move against concentration - substances move along/following/down
gradient (from less to more). concentration gradient (from more to less).
-requires a living membrane -does not require a living membrane
- protein carrier molecules are used - no protein carrier molecule used