Diffusion Lab Report

2. Does the rate of diffusion correspond with the molecular weight of the dye? The the density of the medium and the molecular weight of the dye will determine the rate of diffusion.

Cells and molecules in the environment are constantly moving and changing, for cells to function properly there is a need for equilibrium to be met. The size of the cell and the solution outside of the cell affects the rate of diffusion and osmosis in the cell. Cells are constantly trying to reach an equilibrium with the molecules and substances around it, which is why there are such terms as: hypertonic, hypotonic and isotonic. The procedures allowed testing of whether or not surface area or volume increased diffusion and how different substance control diffusion. Cells are constantly moving to reach equilibrium through diffusion and osmosis.

2. Explain your observations in detail in terms of concentration gradient, diffusion, osmosis, osmotic pressure, passive transport, and active transport.

The dialysis bag experiment resulted with beaker one having relatively similar numbers, showing as an isotonic medium. Beaker two’s solution gradually increased within an hour which caused the product to

1. Cut four 6-inch pieces of dialysis tubing and soak in a coffee cup filled with tap water for 2 hours prior to your start

We hypothesize that as the solute concentration increases, more water will diffuse into the dialysis tubing (shown by a greater percent increase in mass).

All organisms need to exchange particles such as food, waste, gas and heat with their surroundings. there are two different types of ways in which substances can enter or/and leave a cell. these ways are called Passive and Active. with in these there are different processes for example, in passive process there are diffusion, facilitated diffusion and osmosis and in the active process there is molecule and particle. in this assignment I am going to discuss all of these processes starting with diffusion.

Dialysis tubing is a membrane made of regenerated cellulose fibers formed into a flat tube. If two solutions containing dissolved substances of different molecular weights are separated by this membrane, some substances may readily pass through the pores of the membrane, but others may be excluded.

The dialysis tubing will be clamped at one end in order to fill it and then clamped at the other end to seal the filled bag. If the bag is not soft and floppy, the experiment will not work. Blot a bag with a paper towel to absorb the moisture and weigh it, if this blotting process is not done it could interfere with the weight readings creating inaccurate information. After the bags of the solutions are prepared, they will be placed into five different beakers with different solutions. Beakers 1-4 will be filled with tap water and the fifth beaker is filled with 40% sucrose and water. Fill each beaker with just enough water or solution so that the bag is covered and place the bags in the beakers simultaneously and record each time. Every 10 min the bags are to be taken out, blotted, and weighed again before returning them back into their respective beaker for another 10 min. The process is repeated until you have reached 90 min. The weights should be recorded in grams (g).

Using the graduated cylinder, measure 20mLs of the stock sucrose solution and 180mL of water to create a 3% sucrose solution and place it into the 250mL beaker (beaker #2). Place bags #1‐3 (red, blue, yellow) into beaker 2 and bag #4 (green) into beaker 1. Allow the bags to sit for one hour. After allowing the bags to sit for one hour, remove them from the beakers carefully open the bags, noting that often times the tops may need to be cut as they tend to dry out. Measure the solution volumes of each dialysis bag using the empty 250 ml beaker.

The difference is that along with large molecules, living cells prevent molecules with positive charges and solubility. This is not representing in dialysis tubing, and is only found in living cells because the tubing is only based on molecular size (98). When referring the rate of diffusion, the concentration gradient influences the diffusion rate, based on the factors of temperature. The ability for molecules diffuse from high to low concentrations primarily depends on the concentration gradient between the two areas.(96-99). My hypothesis for the study is that in the hypotonic, hypertonic, and isotonic solutions, the direction and rate of osmosis will determine based on the concentration inside the dialysis tubing. My prediction is that if the solution is hypotonic the results will decrease, if the solution is hypertonic the results will increase and if the solution is isotonic the solution will vary and or remain constant.

The objective of this experiment is to develop an understanding of the molecular basis of diffusion and osmosis and its physiological importance. Students will analyze how solute size and concentration affect diffusion across semi-permeable membranes and how these processes affect water potential. Students will also calculate water potential of plant cells.

There were several steps completed to prepare for the experiment. Three dialysis tubes were filled with approximately the same volume of distilled water and then were tied shut. The initial mass (in grams) of the tubes was taken using a triple beam scale. I then filled three 500 mL beakers with 400 mL of water each and dissolved different masses of solute (table sugar) in each beaker in order to make 5%, 10%, and 20% solutions. The beakers were labeled accordingly, and then 20 g, 40 g, and 80 g (respectively) of table sugar was weighed out using a digital scale and placed into the corresponding beakers. The sugar was stirred in using a stirring rod until all of the solute was completely dissolved.

1. What specific part of the kidney does the dialysis tubing represent? What is the function of this part?

XII. Take the 250 ml beaker to your lab bench. Set up a gravity filtration with a plastic funnel, folded wet filter paper, and an Erlenmeyer flask. Pour the content in the 250 ml beaker slowly through the filter paper. Wash the filter paper with deionized water. Dispose of the filtrate in the proper labeled waste container.