MODULE 3: TRANSPORT ACROSS THE to water than its solute.

This mechanism allows

MEMBRANE water to travel from a more diluted region to a more
concentrated region to obtain equilibrium in both
MLS2E - GROUP 4 solutions. Still, no energy is required for transport to
CABASAN, Edward Theodore take place. When osmotic pressure is present,
DEOCAMPO, Jerone Rey osmosis stops as the solution now achieves a
KANAAN, Anne Therese greater solute concentration and equilibrium is
PARIÑAL, Christian Haj reached.
PASCUAL, Rengel
Additionally, molecules can be further
separated according to size and their ability to
I.INTRODUCTION diffuse through the cell’s semi-permeable
membrane. This process is called dialysis, where
The cell, most referred to as the basic unit of only selected particles can pass through the
life, structure, and function in all living things, is membrane.
structurally protected by its outer membrane called
the plasma membrane that is semi-permeable by Surface tension in solutions strengthens due
nature. This allows for a selective passage among to the intermolecular hydrogen bonding interactions
nutrients, ions, and molecules across the cell. The between water molecules. As the tension increases,
flow of such materials is regulated by the cell’s the likelihood of the formation of drops, bubbles,
plasma membrane by surrounding the cells with a meniscus, and the ability to wet surfaces, among
phospholipid bilayer that has hydrophilic heads and others, also increases. As a remedy, salts, soaps,
hydrophobic tails. During this process, an electric and detergents are effectively used as surfactants to
current is produced by the movement of the lower surface tension.
materials through the membrane. These substances
are required to pass through this membrane to be
absorbed or received in the cell. In plants, the cell II. METHODOLOGY
membrane plays a pivotal role in the formation of a
cell wall that serves as their protective capsule.
A. DIFFUSION
Altogether, this semi-permeable membrane
functions by providing a two-way passage Two glasses were labelled: “A” and “B”.
mechanism among nutrients, molecules, ions, as respectively, and were both filled equally with water.
well as wastes and unwanted substances by Glass A was put in a microwave and was heated for
regulating and only allowing passage of essential 10-15 seconds, while Glass B was left at room
materials across the plasma membrane towards the temperature. After heating Glass A, stamp ink was
inside of the cell so that metabolic and other cell dropped on the surface of both glasses at the same
processes can be sustained throughout the living time to compare the rate of diffusion between the two
organism’s body. solutions with temperature as a varying factor. The
rate of diffusion was observed.
There are several mechanisms by which
materials can be transported across the cell. The
most common type of transport is diffusion in which B. OSMOSIS
molecules pass through passive transport from a
region of higher concentration to a region of lower A potato was taken from a watch glass and
concentration. This transport often requires no placed on a white tile where both of its ends were cut
expenditure of energy to occur. The rate of diffusion to make it flat. A hollow cavity was carved using a
is dependent on three factors: 1) differences in knife on the center of the potato from one flat side.
concentration gradient across the membrane; 2) Next, the potato was transferred to a Petri dish half-
size and shape of the solute’s particles; and 3) full of water. 20% sugar solution was then poured to
temperature by which the movement of molecules fill half of the cavity in the potato. After so, a pin was
takes place. inserted inside the potato’s cavity to mark the initial
Another type of transport is through osmosis level of sugar solution, simulating an osmometer.
which is simply similar to diffusion except that the The students observed the reaction. After two hours,
solvent is mainly water. Osmosis diffuses the rise in the level of sugar solution in the cavity was
substances in a membrane that is more permeable marked with another pin.
 III. RESULTS
C. SELECTIVE PERMEABILITY

A dialysis tubing was used in this experiment. A. DIFFUSION

The tubing was made by tying one end of the
transparent plastic tube to make it into a bag. The Table 1. Color Clouds
tube was filled with fructose-starch solution, sealed,
and was immersed in a cup of water. 50 drops of Observation
iodine solution were added to the same cup. Some
of the solution from the cup was then poured to a test Warm water The stamp ink dispersed
tube to serve as an impermeable barrier, and was + Ink gradually after dropping; there
also positioned in the cup right after. The students was complete diffusion of the ink.
observed the changes overnight.

D. SURFACE TENSION

Two cups were used in the experiment. One

cup was filled with water and blue food coloring. The
other cup was filled with Isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol
and orange food coloring. The food coloring on both
cups was used to make the liquid solutions more
visible and to easily distinguish between the two
solutions used in the experiment. A dropper was Water + Ink The stamp ink sunk at the bottom
used to take a small amount of the colored water and faster upon dropping the ink but
released a few drops slowly onto the surface with somehow slowed down with
aluminum foil. The students observed the shape of particles remaining at the top of
the colored water as the droplets sat on the foil. The the water with striations of ink
same procedure was then repeated for the colored slowly dispersing towards the
alcohol. The students observed the shape of the bottom of the glass.
colored alcohol as the droplets sat on the foil.

To further test the surface tension in water, a

set of cups filled with varying colors of water mixed
from food coloring were prepared. A toothpick was
used to prick and maneuver the colored water
droplets, creating different color combinations with
the colored substances. Next, a different toothpick
with soap at one of its tips was used to prick the
same droplets. The students observed and
compared the reaction of the droplets with the two
toothpicks. Table 1. Shows that water with higher temperature
diffused completely and had a higher rate of diffusion
compared to water at room temperature.
 B. OSMOSIS D. SURFACE TENSION

Table 2. Potato Osmometer Table 4. Soap Box

Observation Observation

Initial Volume of the 20% sugar solution only Water pricked Droplets retained their dome
Volume toothpick shape.
without soap
Final Volume of the sugar solution increased
Volume when the water transferred from a
region of high concentration to a region
of low concentration (potato cavity with
20% sugar solution)

Table 2. shows the observation of the initial volume

of the solution containing only 20% sugar solution
and the final volume of the solution which rose due Water pricked Droplets disintegrated and lost
to the entry of water from the Petri dish into the sugar toothpick with their dome shape.
solution through the selectively permeable soap
membrane of the cells in the potato.

C. SELECTIVE PERMEABILITY

Table 3. Dialysis Tubing

Initial Final
Table 4. shows the comparison observed between
Color of the solution in the White Black the water droplets when pricked with a toothpick
bag containing no soap and a toothpick with soap. The
droplets pricked without soap retained their shape
while those pricked with soap disintegrated and lost
Color of the solution in the Dark Light their shape.
cup Red Red

Table 3. Shows that the initial color of the solution in IV. DISCUSSIONS
the dialysis bag was white and yielded a final color
of black while the initial color of the solution in the
cup was dark red and yielded a final color of light A. DIFFUSION
red.
Diffusion is a type of passive transport in which
molecules travel from a region of higher
concentration to a region of lower concentration until
it reaches equilibrium. Although it is a passive
transport and does require the expenditure of energy
or Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) for it to occur, it
may utilize any form of energy present in the
environment to facilitate a faster rate. In the
experiment performed, the students observed the
rate of diffusion of stamp ink with water in the two
glasses – one heated and one at room temperature.
As observed, the rate of diffusion was faster in the
glass with warm water compared to that of at room
temperature. This is due to the heat that was present red due to the one-way passage of iodine into the
in Glass A. bag. Once the iodine seeped into the bag it bound to
starch. Starch, being a polysaccharide, is too large
Heat is a form of energy. The experiment to permit passage through a dialysis bag, a
conducted implicates a positive correlation between semipermeable membrane, making the starch-
temperature and a substance’s rate of diffusion as it bound iodine impossible to exit the bag.
shows that when temperature increases, the kinetic
energy present in the particles of the solution also
increases causing them to diffuse faster due to the Selective permeability is an important
increased motion of the particles in the solution. At characteristic of membranes which gives them the
lower temperatures, substances will likewise diffuse ability to control the movement of molecules inside
at a slower rate. and outside its parameters. It is a highly essential
biological implication because our cells have this
ability. It gives our cell membranes the ability to
B. OSMOSIS control what molecules come in and out of the cell.
The structure of our cell membranes is an integral
Osmosis is a special case of diffusion where part of this characteristic as it contains a lipid bilayer,
the movement of water molecules move from a embedded with peripheral and integral proteins and
region of higher concentration to a region of lower some cholesterol. This also gives the cell the ability
concentration through a selectively permeable to perform certain biological processes of diffusion,
membrane. Semi-permeable membranes, also facilitated diffusion, exocytosis, endocytosis,
termed selectively permeable membranes or phagocytosis, and osmosis, among others.
partially permeable membranes, allow certain
molecules or ions to pass through by diffusion.
D. SURFACE TENSION
In the experiment, the water molecules that
were initially in the Petri dish gradually traveled from Surface tension is a thin film that usually
its highly concentrated region to the inside of the forms on the surface of liquid substances as a result
potato’s cavity, which had 20% sugar solution, a of the attraction of its liquid molecules. One of its
region with lower water concentration. The major properties is to allow surfaces of liquids to
experiment showed how osmosis took place in the resist external forces. This resistance is due to the
potato as the final volume of the solution increased cohesive nature of water molecules that strongly
after leaving the set-up untouched overnight. As bond and interact with each other.
observed, the water from the Petri dish seeped into
the semi-permeable membrane of the potato, The intermolecular forces in alcohol are less
causing the volume of the solution to rise. Osmosis compared to water which explains why in the
stopped as the concentration in both regions experiment, the water droplets had a more compact
reached equilibrium. and firm shape compared to the rather loosely
formed dome-shaped appearance of the alcohol
droplets. The presence of lower intermolecular
C. SELECTIVE PERMEABILITY forces among molecules in liquid substances
account for less cohesion, and therefore also yield
Selective permeability is an ability of a less surface tension.
membrane to differentiate between molecules
allowing certain molecules to pass through while In addition, high surface tension in
blocking others. In the experiment performed, the substances allows objects to float on their surfaces
students observed the selective permeability of a such as a paper clip when placed atop a glass of
dialysis bag. The bag was filled with a white fructose water! Hence, with high surface tension, cohesion
and starch solution, put inside a cup filled with dark among water molecules becomes stronger and
red iodine. The students observed that the solution more compact, making their intermolecular forces
in the bag gradually turned purple. This was due to have greater resistance to external forces, thus
the passing through of iodine and its binding with accounting for the colored water droplets’ ability to
starch. On the other hand, the solution on the cup resist the pricking of the toothpick.
tested positive for fructose. This reaction shows that
the dialysis bag was permeable to both iodine and The addition of surfactants such as soap
fructose but not to starch. The color of the solution emulsifies the intermolecular forces among the
in the cup also made transition from dark red to light
water molecules and in turn, lowers, if not disrupts,
the substance’s surface tension. This occurs as the Libretexts. (2020). 15.3: Membrane Transport with
soap breaks down the interface between water and Selective Permeability. Biology LibreTexts.
oils. Since soap is generally made with fats, it Retrieved November 22, 2020, from
contains long chains of molecules composed of https://bio.libretexts.org/Courses/University_of_Cali
hydrophilic heads and hydrophobic tails. So, fornia_Davis/BIS_2A%3A_Introductory_Biology_(E
similarly, when applying this mechanism in the aslon)/Readings/15.3%3A_Membrane_Transport_
action of handwashing, as soap comes into contact with_Selective_Permeability
with water, its hydrophobic tails are attracted to the
oils or dirt and are lifted away from the surface, are Nicolson, G. (2013). Update of the 1972 Singer-
broken down into smaller pieces, and are washed Nicolson Fluid-Mosaic Model of Membrane
away by water. The surfactant molecules of the Structure. Discoveries,
water break apart the forces interacting within water https://doi.org/10.15190/d.2013.3.
and therefore make water “wetter”!

V. REFERENCES

USGS. (n.d.). Surface Tension and Water. Retrieved

November 23, 2020, from
https://www.usgs.gov/special-topic/water-science-
school/science/surface-tension-and-water?qt-
science_center_objects=0#qt-
science_center_objects

Libretexts. (2020a, august 15). 5.2E: Osmosis.

Biology LibreTexts. Retrieved November 23, 2020,
from
https://bio.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Introductory_
and_General_Biology/Book%3A_General_Biology_
(Boundless)/5%3A_Structure_and_Function_of_Pla
sma_Membranes/5.2%3A_Passive_Transport/5.2E
%3A_Osmosis

Lowe, N. (n.d.). Soapy Science. Science on the

Shelves. Retrieved November 22, 2020, from
https://www.york.ac.uk/res/sots/activities/soapysci.h
tm

Lichtarowicz, M. (2013). Surfactants. The Essential

Chemical Industry - Online. Retrieved November 20,
2020, from
https://www.essentialchemicalindustry.org/materials
-and-
applications/surfactants.html#:~:text=Surfactants%
20function%20by%20breaking%20down,and%20oil
s%20and%2For%20dirt.&text=Soaps%20were%20
the%20earliest%20surfactants,carboxylic%20acids
%20(fatty%20acids).

Volker, J.H. (2019). Cell Membrane (Plasma

Membrane) - Structure, Function, and Composition.
Earth’s Lab.
https://www.earthslab.com/physiology/cell-
membrane-plasma-membrane-structure-function-
composition/
POST LAB QUESTIONS 3.) Supposing we are going to use milk as the
sample in part C. If we will test the dialysate for
1.) How do osmosis, diffusion, dialysis, and sugar and protein, which test will give a
surface tension exhibit in the cell membrane? positive result? Explain.

Osmosis, diffusion, dialysis, and surface If milk was used as the sample in part C and
tension are exhibited in the cell membrane by nature tested the dialysate for sugar and proteins, the
of the anatomy of its structure. The cell membrane’s dialysate will test positive for sugar but not for
structure consists of a phospholipid bilayer, some protein. Dialysis is the process of separating
peripheral and integral proteins, and cholesterol. molecules through the use of a semipermeable
membrane. The sugar in milk, which is Lactose, is a
Osmosis is a special type of diffusion which disaccharide. Due to this, its sugar molecules are
is the dispersion of water from an area of higher small enough to diffuse into the dialysate. Casein, on
concentration to an area of lower concentration. In the other hand, is a phosphoprotein relatively larger
line with this, the phospholipid bilayer controls this than lactose, and will conversely not be able to pass
process since it contains a hydrophilic head and a through the semipermeable membrane due to the
hydrophobic tail. size of its molecules. Hence, the protein will remain
inside the dialysis bag.
Diffusion is also controlled by the cell
membrane in line with the concentration gradient of
molecules. This process is passive and does not
4.) Explain how soap lowers the surface tension
require energy expenditure but rather relies on the
of water.
random thermal motion of molecules.
The addition of surfactants such as soap,
Dialysis, on the other hand, is the process
emulsifies the intermolecular forces among the
that separates molecules through their rates of
water molecules and in turn, disrupts, if not lowers,
diffusion and can be performed by the cell
the substance’s surface tension. This occurs as the
membrane along with diffusion.
soap breaks down the interface between water and
Surface tension is the formation of a skin-like oils. Since soap is generally made with fats, it
contains long chains of molecules composed of
surface on the outside of a compressed water
solution. Since the cell membrane is shielded by its hydrophilic heads and hydrophobic tails.
phospholipid bilayer, it can aggregate to ensure the
heads have maximum hydrophilic interactions
5.) What will happen to a red blood cell if you
among water-loving molecules while the tails have
place it in a hypertonic, hypotonic, and isotonic
their corresponding maximum hydrophobic
interactions. The water molecules are compressed salt solution?
and result in the formation of surface tension.
If a cell is placed in a hypertonic solution,
Surface tension gives the cell its shape.
there will be a net flow of water out of the cell, making
the cell lose volume and form abnormal spikes and
notches on the cell membrane in a mechanism
2.) Explain how renal insufficiency may be called crenation. If a cell is placed in a hypotonic
corrected by the use of dialysis. solution, there will be a net flow of water into the cell,
making the cell gain volume, and ultimately burst
Kidneys function as an organ that regulates causing the cell to die in a mechanism called Lysis.
body fluid, blood pressure, blood chemistry and Lastly, if a cell is placed in an isotonic solution, there
filters out wastes in our body. Renal insufficiency will be no net flow of water into or out of the cell and
causes gradual loss of kidney function. When this the cell’s volume will remain stable at equilibrium.
occurs, the kidneys are no longer able to function at
optimum level and may eventually lead to one’s
fatality. Dialysis is used as a means to filter organic
wastes, and other toxins in the blood. The wastes
and toxins pass through several membranes based
on the principle of diffusion in order to be filtered out.
After filtration, blood is naturally returned to the
bloodstream.
Sources:

Osmosis and Cells: How Osmosis Works in Cell

Membrane Functions - BrightHub Education

(302) Surface Tension - What is it, how does it

form, what properties does it impart - YouTube

2.5: Surface Tension and Line Tension - Physics

LibreTexts

Crenation - Definition and Examples | Biology

Dictionary