l a b e x e r c i s e v i i diffusion（l b e x e r c s e v我我扩散）.doc

LAB EXERCISE VII: Diffusion Laboratory Objectives After completing this lab topic, you should be able to: 1. Describe the mechanism of diffusion at the molecular level. 2. List several factors that influence the rate of diffusion. 3. Explain why diffusion is important to cells. Introduction Maintaining the steady state of a cell is achieved only through regulated movement of materials through cytoplasm, across organelle membranes, and across the plasma membrane. This regulated movement facilitates communication within the cell and between cytoplasm and the external environment. The cytoplasm and extracellular environment of the cell are aqueous solutions. They are composed of water, which is the solvent, or dissolving agent, and numerous organic and inorganic molecules, which are the solutes, or dissolved substances. Organelle membranes and the plasma membrane are selectively permeable, allowing water to freely pass through but regulating the movement of solutes. The cell actively moves some dissolved substances across membranes, expending adenosine triphosphate (ATP) (biological energy) to accomplish the movement. Other substances move passively, without expenditure of ATP from the cell, but only if the cell membrane is permeable to those substances. Water and selected solutes move passively through the cell and cell membranes by diffusion, a physical process in which molecules move from an area where they are in high concentration to one where their concentration is lower. The energy driving diffusion comes only from the intrinsic kinetic energy in all atoms and molecules. If nothing hinders the movement, a solute will diffuse until it reaches equilibrium. EXERCISE 1. Diffusion of Molecules Through a Selectively Permeable Membrane Materials string or rubber band 500 – mL beaker one-third filled water sharpie handheld test tube holder 30 % glucose solution 3 standard test tubes starch solution disposable transfer pipettes I2KI solution 2 400 – mL