Jurongville Secondary School

Secondary 3 Express Biology Notes

Syllabus 5100
Name: _________________________ ( )
Class: Sec 3___ Date: ____________
Chapter 3: i!!usion" #s$osis % Sur!ace &rea: 'olu$e (atio
3)1 i!!usion
Definition: The net movement of ions or molecules of a substance from a region where
they are in a higher concentration to a region where they are in lower concentration,
own a iffusion graient
Diffusion graient: Difference in concentrations of a substance between the two regions
o The stee!er the iffusion graient, the faster will be the rate of iffusion for the
substance
Diffusion may occur with or without the !resence of a membrane
3)1)1 *ypes o! $e$branes
"ermeable membrane: #llows all molecules (solute or solvent) to !ass thorough it
o $%am!le of !ermeable membrane: Cellulose cell wall in !lants
"artially !ermeable (or selectively !ermeable) membrane: #llows certain molecules to
!ass through it but not others
o $%am!le of selectively !ermeable membrane: Cell membrane in all cells
3)+ #s$osis
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Definition: The net movement of water molecules across a selectively&!ermeable
membrane from a region of higher water !otential to a region of lower water !otential,
own a water !otential graient
'ater !otential: # measure of how much water is !resent in com!arison with solute
molecules in the same volume of solution
o (ow water !otential )igh solute concentration (solution is concentrate)
o )igh water !otential (ow solute concentration (solution is ilute)
*smosis is therefore a s!ecial case of iffusion+
Ta,e note: *smosis occurs only when a selectively !ermeable membrane is use+
$%am!le of Diffusion ("ermeable membrane se!arates ilute an concentrate
solutions)
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$%am!le of *smosis (Selectively !ermeable membrane se!arates ilute an
concentrate solutions)
S!ecial Definitions of Solutions with res!ect to ,ig +)- above
o Note: *his de!initions only apply to &N./&0 syste$s11
*er$ State o! solution
)y!otonic Solution # (higher water !otential) is hy!otonic with res!ect to
solution - (lower water !otential)
)y!ertonic Solution - (lower water !otential) is hy!ertonic with res!ect to
solution # (higher water !otential)
.sotonic Solutions # an - have the same water !otential an are sai to be
isotonic
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3)3 #s$osis in living syste$s 2Cells3
Cell surface membrane is selectively !ermeable
.n !lant cells, remember also that the cell wall is tough, slightly&elastic an !ermeable
o .ts cell sa! in the vacuole is highly concentrate as it contains a mi%ture of
substances
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3)- &ctive *ransport
Definition: "rocess where energy is use to move the !articles of a substance against a
concentration graient from a region of lower solute concentration to a region of higher
solute concentration
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Cells carrying out active trans!ort usually
o Contains numerous mitochonria
o )ave high cellular res!iratory rate to !rovie energy neee
3)5 *ransport across the cell sur!ace $e$brane
/aterials move in an out of cells across their cell membranes by the following methos:
o Diffusion: eg0 1!ta,e of o%ygen an e%cretion of carbon io%ie by all living cells
uring res!iration
o *smosis: eg0 1!ta,e of water molecules from the soil by root hair cells an the
flow of water from here to the %ylem vessel of the root
o #ctive trans!ort: eg0 1!ta,e of
(a) /ineral salts (ions) by root hair cells
(b) 2lucose an amino acis by the e!ithelial cells in the villi of the
small intestine
3)4 Sur!ace &rea: 'olu$e (atio
.t is very im!ortant that the rates of movement of substances (o%ygen, carbon io%ie
an nutrients) across cell membranes must be high enough to meet the metabolic nees
of the cells
)ow fast these 3 !rocesses is ta,ing !lace e!ens strongly on the ratio of the surface
area of the cells to its volume
o /athematically, is it efine as
Volume
a SurfaceAre
o Normally e%!resse in ratio form
The greater the surface area: volume ratio The faster the rate at which these
!rocesses (iffusion, osmosis, active trans!ort) ta,e !lace
# smaller cell has a larger surface area: volume ratio than a large cell of the same sha!e
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o Thus, a large organism is mae u! of many small cells (multicellular)
)aving multifol of cell surface membrane can increase surface area: volume ratio of a
cell0
o This moification is very im!ortant to cells that are concerne with absor!tion of
substances0 $g0 /icrovilli of cells lining the small intestine
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