How To Write A Lab Report The Movement Of Molecules Across A Cell Membrane

4. There are other types of reagents used to determine what type of biomolecule a substance is. For example, copper ions present in Benedict’s reagent reacts with the free end of any reducing sugars, such as glucose, when heated. Originally blue in color, these copper ions are reduced by the sugar, and produce an orange-red colored precipitate. Alternatively, iodine-potassium iodide (IKI) may also be used when working with starch. IKI contains special tri-iodine ions which interact with the coiled structure of a starch

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.

The purpose of these experiments is to examine the driving force behind the movement of substances across a selective or semiperpeable plasma membrane. Experiment simulations examine substances that move passively through a semipermeable membrane, and those that require active transport. Those that move passively through the membrane will do so in these simulations by facilitated diffusion and filtration. The plasma membrane’s structure is composed in such a way that it can discriminate as to which substances can pass into the cell. This enables nutrients to enter the cell, while keeping unwanted substances out. Active

A cell, the building block of all living organisms, is composed of four fundamental biomolecules: proteins, carbohydrates, sugars and lipids. Proteins provide a vast amount of functions cells such as they serve as enzymes, provide structural support to cells, and act as antibodies. Reagents are used to spark a chemical reaction. The reagent used to detect protein traces in a substance is Biuret’s. Biuret’s will turn purple if proteins are present and blue if they are none. Biuret’s copper particles, have a charge of +2, are diminished to a charge of +1 when peptide bonds, which are in proteins, are present, creating the color change. Polysaccharides, which are carbohydrates, are most notably known to provide energy to the body, but they also help in breaking down fatty acids. Iodine is the reagent used to determine whether a substance has starch in it. The iodine/starch complex has energy levels that are only for retaining unmistakable light, giving the complex its extraordinarily dark black-blue shade. If there is no starch found, iodine will remain its natural yellowish-brownish color, but if starch is present, iodine will turn blue-black. Monosaccharides, which are sugars, like polysaccharides, provide the body with energy. To detect monosaccharides, the reagent, Benedict’s, is used. Benedict’s reagent is added to a test tube, then it is placed in

In this lab we found out that the dialysis bag contained more fluids inside it. This can happen because sucrose is small enough to pass through the selectively permeable membrane. Some errors that might have been encountered during the lab could have been the fact that some of the dialysis bags were not tightly tied with the dental floss, or that the wrong substance was used. Another possible source of error was if the carrot strips had been dehydrated from the beginning of the experiment or were already

Osmosis is the passive movement of water from an area of low solute concentration to an area of high solute concentration, normally across a membrane which prevents the movement of solvent. This is a process by which materials may move into, out of, or within cells. Osmosis doesn’t depend on energy provided by living organisms but is affected by the properties of the cell membrane. The rate of osmosis is dependent on such factors as temperature, pressure, molecular properties such as size and mass, and the concentration gradient. In osmosis, the relationship between a solute’s concentration outside of cell and inside of a cell is described in terms of the tonicity of the solution outside of the cell. A cell is in a hypotonic solution when the solute is more concentrated inside the cell and therefore water moves into the cell. In this solution the cell swells as water enters, this may continue until it ruptures or hemolyzes. In the reverse condition, the cell is in a hypertonic solution

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.

The structure of the phospholipid bilayer is a 2-layer arrangement. Basically, the phospholipid bilayer has 2 ends. One end is hydrophilic (attracted to water); therefore, the opposite end is hydrophobic and repels water. The hydrophilic ends face outwards and the hydrophobic ends face inwards. This experiment enables researchers to investigate how the cell membrane selectively chooses what cells to enter the cell through osmosis and diffusion. Within osmosis, it’s a process of what substance passes and exits the semipermeable membrane into a higher concentration to equal the outside and the inside. Unlike osmosis, diffusion is the movement of molecules transporting from a high concentration to

In this lab, neutral red was used as a pH indicator. The color changes from yellow to red in a basic solution to an acidic solution. The neutral red dye was applied to Saccharomyces Cerevisiae. When the S. Cerevisiae cells come in contact with the neutral red dye, the dye gets to the cell by crossing the cell membrane. The cell membrane is the outer surface of the cell that functions as a barrier. The outside of the cell membrane is made of lipid and membrane proteins (Hardin, 2012). It is selectively permeable, which means only select ions and molecules can pass through it by transport. Membrane transport can be actively or passively moving a substance from side of the membrane to another (Hardin, 2012). Passive transport does not require energy to move molecules across the cell membrane. Diffusion is a form of passive transport that moves molecules across the membrane from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration. Osmosis, diffusion, and facilitated diffusion are all examples of passive transport. Active transport requires energy to move molecules across the membrane from areas of lower concentration to higher concentration. It requires energy because it pushes sodium ions (Na+) and potassium ions (K+) (Hardin, 2012). When the dye entered the cell, it also showed its location. Sodium azide (Na+N3-) is a metabolic inhibitor that blocks the flow of electrons along

Diffusion is the transfer of molecules from an area that has a higher concentration to an area that has a lower concentration. Osmosis is the diffusion of water. The purpose of this experiment was to study the process of osmosis. In order to test osmosis, eggs that had been soaking in vinegar were taken and placed in four beakers of solution with different levels of glucose. Using this experiment we were able to determine the rate of osmosis of different solutions, with various amounts of glucose, through eggs. In the results of this lab it was found that the eggs were either hypertonic or hypotonic and that the

Cells in all living things have an outer layer known as the cell membrane. The structure of the cell membrane consists of the phospholipid bilayer organized by the arrangement of hydrophilic heads and hydrophobic tails. It is a selectively permeable membrane, where it divides the outer environment from the interior of the cell. It can control substances moving in and out of living cells. Certain molecules like gases, water, and food are permitted to pass the membrane through the method of diffusion. Diffusion refers to the process in which molecules move on the concentration gradient, where they move from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration. A type of diffusion is known as osmosis. It is the diffusion of water moving across the selectively permeable membrane. In this lab, students will be using eggs to construct an experiment to get a better study on how osmosis works in a cell. The eggs will be soaked in vinegar solution to remove their shells to expose each inner layer that resembles a selectively permeable membrane. The egg shell is composed of calcium carbonate that would dissolves in acidic solution such as vinegar. In the chemical reaction, it releases carbon dioxide gas. After the removal of the egg shell, it will be ready to be able to construct the experiment.

Cells are always in motion, energy of motion known as kinetic energy. This kinetic energy causes the membranes in motion to bump into each other, causing the membranes to move in another direction – a direction from a higher concentration of the solution to a lower one. Membranes moving around leads to diffusion and osmosis. Diffusion is the random movement of molecules from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration, until they are equally distributed (Mader & Windelspecht, 2012, p. 50). Cells have a plasma membrane that separates the internal cell from the exterior environment. The plasma membrane is selectively permeable which allows certain solvents to pass through

All cells contain membranes that are selectively permeable, allowing certain things to pass into and leave out of the cell. The process in which molecules of a substance move from an area of high concentration to areas of low concentration is called Diffusion. Whereas Osmosis is the process in which water crosses membranes from regions of high water concentration to areas with low water concentration. While molecules in diffusion move down a concentration gradient, molecules during osmosis both move down a concentration gradient as well as across it. Both diffusion, and osmosis are types of passive transport, which do not require help.

The process of diffusion occurs in and out of a cell when molecules travel from areas of higher

Cells are the basic units of life. Everything alive consists of cells. In order for cells to perform their basic functions, it has to continuously seek homeostasis. This is done by structures within the cell. A structure within the cell is the plasma membrane, which regulates what enters and exits the cell. The cell membrane contains a phospholipid bilayer which causes the cell to have selective permeability; “allowing transport of some chemicals but not others” ( ). Specifically, the phospholipid bilayer allows for the movement of water, oxygen, and carbon dioxide. Conversely, it is not permeable to ions or polar chemicals. The phospholipid bilayer is in possession of hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions, which are the polar heads and tails, respectively. This is important because the head attracts water while the tail repels water, thus regulating the substances entering and exiting the cell. When substances pass through the plasma membrane, they use passive or active transport. Whether either transport type is used is determined by the concentration gradient, which is the difference of concentration between areas. In an active transport, the cell must use adenosine triphosphate, or ATP, which is produced by the mitochondria of the cell and is energy used by the body, because the substance is moving from a lower concentration gradient to a higher