VCE Biology Unit 1 Prac 1 - Cell requirements SAC

Diffusion Through a Membrane

Each cell is normally separated from its
surroundings by a membrane of some ind! Some
substances seem to be able to mo"e in and out of
cells # through the membranes # fairly easily! $ther
substances either cannot pass through the
membrane at all or do so only slo%ly!
Any membrane that allo%s some substances to pass
through it more readily than others is called a
differentially-permeable membrane.
Purpose
&o in"estigate the action of a differentially
permeable membrane!
Hypothesis / Prediction:
'rite a prediction about %hat you thin %ill occur
in each set up!
Materials:
Cellulose tubing( )* cm lengths( +)
&histle ,unnel( +)
Soluble starch solution
-ubber bands +)
.lucose solution
/odine solution
&es-tape
Stand %ith clamp 0to support thistle funnel1( +)
.as 2ar or similar tall slim container( +)
.lass maring pencil
-uler graduated in mm
Procedure:
Set up t%o sets of the apparatus sho%n( as follo%s3
4oisten the cellulose tubing( then open it by
rubbing bet%een thumb and forefinger!
Seal one end by tying a not about 1 cm
from the end of the tube! &ae care not to
damage the tube!
Slide the end of the thistle funnel about 5
cm into the open end of the cellulose tubing!
,i+ the bag tightly to the thistle funnel %ith
a rubber band %rapped around it se"eral
times 0&he seal should be quite tight1!
-epeat for the second set up!
Pour soluble starch solution into the top of
one thistle funnel until the top is about half
full! 0Some of the solution should run do%n
the tube and into the bag1!
6elp fill the bag by squee7ing it gently to
force air up through the funnel then let it go!
Add more starch to the funnel and continue
until the bag is full and solution comes )-8
cm or so up to the end of the glass tube!
Place the glass 2ar around the bag 0as in the
diagram1!
Add %ater until the %ater le"el is a
centimetre or so abo"e the top of the bag!
Pour in 2ust enough iodine solution to gi"e
the %ater a distinct yello%ish colour!
&he second e+periment can no% be fully set up(
as follo%s3
Set up in the same %ay( but %ith glucose
solution instead of starch and no iodine!
9abel the second apparatus :B; and mar the
le"el of solution in the glass tube!
<ip a piece of tes-tape into the %ater and
record its colour!
Allo% the t%o setups to stand for bet%een
8* minutes and 1 hour!
$bser"e the le"el of starch solution in the
tube in e+periment A! 4easure and record
any change! -ecord any colour change
either in the bag or in the %ater in the 2ar!
VCE Biology Unit 1 Prac 1 - Cell requirements SAC
$bser"e the le"el of glucose solution in the
tube in e+periment B! 4easure and record
any changes!
<ip a piece of tes-tape into the %ater in the 2ar!
-ecord its colour and the glucose concentration
0from the chart1!
9et both setups stand o"ernight in a safe
place!
=e+t lesson again measure the le"els in the
t%o thistle funnel tubes! =ote the colours of
the solutions in e+periment A and the
concentration of glucose in the 2ar in
e+periment B!
Results:
<ra% the starch setup( both before and after the
e+periment( noting any changes to the setup!
Summarise your obser"ations of the e+periment
under the diagram!
<ra% the glucose setup( both before and after the
e+periment( noting any changes to the setup!
Summarise your obser"ations of the e+periment
under the diagram!
Analysis / Discussion:
>1! 6o% accurate %ere your predictions?
E+plain!
>)! ,rom your e+perimental results and from
your no%ledge of the chemical test for starch(
%hat must ha"e happened to the iodine molecules in
e+periment A?
>8! 'hich material did not pass through the
membrane in e+periment A? E+plain ho% you
no%!
>@! ,rom your e+perimental results( %hat must
ha"e happened to the %ater molecules in
e+periment B?
>A! ,rom the e"idence obtained by allo%ing the
e+periment B to stand o"ernight( %hat other
substance must ha"e passed through the membrane?
6o% do you no%?
Physicists can measure the si7es of molecules by
"arious methods! &hey ha"e sho%n that iodine
molecules and %ater molecules are "ery small(
glucose molecules are considerably larger and
starch molecules 0%hich are synthesi7es from many
glucose molecules1 and "ery large!
>5! Using this information as a basis( suggest a
hypothesis to account for the obser"ations made in
this e+periment!
&he cells maing up the bodies of li"ing things
contain solutions in %hich there are large molecules
not capable of passing through a membrane! Bet
%ater molecules can pass freely through the
membranes of li"ing cells!
>C! Predict %hat you %ould e+pect to happen to
such a cell if it %ere placed in pure %ater!
Conclusion:
'rite your o%n conclusion( summarising the ey
points of the e+perimental results! 9in these results
to the theory of diffusion and ho% it is affected by
the action of a differentially permeable membrane!