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Physioex 9.0 Cell Transport Mechanisms

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Activity 1: Simulating Dialysis (Simple Diffusion) Lab Report

Review Sheet Results

1. 2. Describe two Variables that affect the rate of diffusion.

The two variables that affect the rate of diffusion are:

A. The size of the molecule. The larger molecule will diffuse more slowly than the smaller molecule. B. The nature of plasma membrane. If the membrane is composed of lipid portion., only lipid soluble molecules can pass through while water molecules cannot.

3. Why do you think the urea was not able to diffuse through 20 MWCO? How well did the results compare with your predictions?

The urea was not able to diffuse through 20 MWCO because the size of the pores of 20 MWCO was too small to …show more content…

Explain the effect that increasing the Na+ Cl- concentration has on osmotic pressure and why it has this effect. How well did the results compare with your prediction?

Increasing the Na+ Cl- concentration in the left beaker while keeping the size of MWCO at 20 would result in an increase in osmotic pressure (Run No.2). This was because the high concentration of Na+ Cl- in the right side of membrane gives a increased force to water (in left beaker) to move towards the solution with the highest concentration of solutes. Therefore, there was an increase in osmotic pressure.

However, when the membrane was changed to from 20 MWCO to 50 MWCO, the Na+ Cl- molecules were able to diffuse through the membrane, the equilibrium would be reached and no osmotic pressure was generated. If the concentration of Na+ Cl- of both size are equal, the osmotic pressure would be zero.

I obtained the results from the experiment supported my predictions because as the the concentration Na+ Cl- was increased from 5 mM to 10 mM (by adding more Na+ Cl-), the osmotic pressure also increased. However, after the membrane was changed to 50 MWCO, the Na+ Cl- molecules could diffuse easily through the membrane and did not caused an increase in osmotic pressure.

2. Describe on way in which osmosis is similar to simple diffusion and on way in which is different.

One way in which osmosis is similar to simple diffusion is that both mechanisms are

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