Chapter 3 : Movement into and out of Cells
Everything-including living cells- is made up of atoms, molecules and ions.
These particles are always moving from one place to another. There is also a
theory that describes this phenomenon, known as KFT (Kinetic Particles
Theory).
KFT states that all matter is made up of tiny particles and these particles are
in constant random motion.
KFT describes the three states of matter. They are :
Property Solid Liquid Gas
Diagram
Shape fixed not fixed Not fixed
Volume fixed fixed Not fixed
Compressibility Can’t be Can’t be Can be
compressed compressed compressed
Attractive forces Very strong strong Very weak
between particles
Kinetic energy of Very low low high
particles
Motion Vibrate and rotate Move freely Move rapidly in
in fixed position throughout the any direction
liquid
What is Diffusion and how can it be shown in a
concentration gradient ?
Diffusion : The net movement of particles from a region of higher
concentration to a region of their lower concentration due to the random
movement of particles.
Example : A rotten egg releases hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) gas, which initially
stays concentrated in one corner of the
room. Over time, the gas diffuses throughout
the room, moving from an area of high
concentration to low concentration due to
the random movement of particles.
The example given above can also be
explained in concentration gradient :
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Class 8 Movement in and out of cells By Uzair Ali Siam
The place with the high concentration (the rotten egg) will be at the top of
the slope. The place with the low concentration
(the rest of the room) will be at the bottom of
the slope. The molecules move 'down the
gradient'. We can therefore say that there is a
concentration gradient from the rotten egg to
the rest of the room. The overall result of
diffusion is that the hydrogen sulfide molecules
move 'down' this concentration gradient
Concentration gradient : An imaginary
‘slope’ from a high concentration to a low
concentration.
How helpful is diffusion in plants and animals :
Plants use carbon-dioxide to make food with photosynthesis :
Carbon-dioxide diffuses from air to leaves, through the stomata due to
low concentration of C02 inside the leaf while high outside.
Plants release oxygen as waste product of photosynthesis :
Oxygen diffuses through the stomata from the leaves to the air due to
the high concentration of oxygen inside the leaf.
Diffusion is very important for gas exchange in both plants and
animals. Cell membrane is freely permeable for carbon-dioxide and
oxygen gas to diffuse into and out of cell.
Living cells also rely on diffusion of solutes. Solute dissolves in solvent.
In organisms the solvent is always water.
Cytoplasm is made up of 70% water and all cells contains many
solutes, such as glucose molecules or sodium ions
Important Questions :
1. When substances diffuse into and out of cells, which part of the
cell must they move through ?
Ans : Cell membrane
2. Describe three examples of diffusion in organisms. For each
example, state whether the substance that is diffusing is a gas or
a solute.
Ans : i) Carbon-dioxide diffuses from air to leaves, through the stomata due
to low concentration of C02 inside the leaf while high outside. -gas
ii) Oxygen diffuses through the stomata from the leaves to the air due to the
high concentration of oxygen inside the leaf. - gas
iii) Glucose moving from the small intestine into blood capillaries – solute
3. Where does the energy for diffusion come from?
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Class 8 Movement in and out of cells By Uzair Ali Siam
The energy for diffusion comes from the kinetic energy of the particles. No
extra energy from the cell is needed.
Factors that influence diffusion :
Surface area : When surface area increases, the rate of diffusion
increases as molecules get more space to move.
Temperature : The rate of diffusion is directly proportional to the
increase in temperature.
Concentration gradient : The rate of diffusion is directly proportional to
the concentration gradient.
Distance : The higher the distance, the slower the rate of diffusion.
Water as a Solvent :
There is various importance of water for being a solvent. Three of them are
listed below :
Dissolved substances can be easily transported around the organisms.
E.g., phloem and xylem.
Toxic substances such as urea and substances in excess of
requirements such as salt can dissolve in water which makes them
easy to remove from the body in urine.
An important part of our cells is cytoplasm which itself is made up of
70% water so that metabolic reactions can occur when necessary.
What is Osmosis ? Explain Osmosis process :
Osmosis : The diffusion of water molecules through a partially permeable
membrane. It’s the net movement of water molecules from a region of
high-water potential to low water potential through a partially permeable
membrane.
Osmosis occurs as many different substances are dissolved in tis water, and
their concentrations may be different inside the and outside the cell. This
creates concentration gradients down which water and solutes will diffuse, if
they are able to pass through the membrane.
The figure beside explains how
osmosis happens. One side there
is concentrated sugar solution
while on the other is the least
concentrated one. In the middle,
there is dialysis tubing also
known as partially permeable
membrane.
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Class 8 Movement in and out of cells By Uzair Ali Siam
In the dialysis tubing, water molecules are small enough to pass through the
membrane’s tiny holes, but sugar molecules are too large to fit. This means:
Left side: There’s a high concentration of water molecules because
there are fewer sugar molecules taking up space.
Right side: There’s a lower concentration of water molecules because
many sugar molecules occupy space.
As there are more water molecules on the left-hand side, anytime a water
particle might hit a hole in the membrane, it can pass through to the other
side. Over time, there will be an overall net movement of water from left to
right. This movement of water from an area of high-water concentration to
low water concentration through a partially permeable membrane is called
osmosis.
Osmosis in animal cells :
Let’s recall the functions of cell membrane from our previous topic .
It controls the movement into and out of cell.
It is also known as partially permeable membrane which means that it
only lets a few things to go in and doesn’t allow others.
From the function, we can see that cell membrane allows water through
easily while it doesn’t let the other parts of our cells to do at the same time.
This means that osmosis happens across cell membranes.
There are two conditions by which we can check osmosis in animal cell :
When the outer water is less concentrated (pure) and the water
inside cell is more concentrated.
When the outer water is more concentrated and the water inside cell
is less concentrated (dilute).
Osmosis process in animalc cell when the outer water is less
concentrated (pure) and the water inside cell is more
concentrated :
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Class 8 Movement in and out of cells By Uzair Ali Siam
In the figure above, an animal cell is placed in pure water. The cytoplasm of
the cell contains a more concentrated solution inside the cell. The proteins
and many other substances dissolved in it are too large to get through the
cell membrane. However, water molecules can get through the membrane.
Water molecules will diffuse from the dilute solution into the concentrated
solution. As more and more water enters the cell, it swells. The cell
membrane has to stretch as the cell gets bigger, until eventually the strain is
too much, and the cell bursts.
Osmosis process in animal cell When the outer water is more
concentrated and the water inside cell is less concentrated
(dilute)
The figure above shows an animal cell in a concentrated solution If this
solution is more concentrated than the cytoplasm then water molecules will
diffuse out of the cell. As the water molecules go out through the cell
membrane, the cytoplasm shrinks, so the cell gets smaller.
Osmosis process in plant cell
From the previous research, it was clear that a cell will either explode or
die because of in and out of water molecules in the cell membrane.
But in case of a plant cell, its cell
wall handles the matter. It doesn’t
let the cell become loose and
keeps it strong to give the plantr
and healthy structure. Though its
fully permeable, it is efficient in
its job.
A plant cell has a partially
permeable cell membrane, allowing
water to enter by osmosis when
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Class 8 Movement in and out of cells By Uzair Ali Siam
placed in pure water. As water enters, the cytoplasm and vacuole swell,
pressing the cytoplasm against the strong cell wall. The rigid cell wall
prevents the cell from bursting by pushing back against the pressure. When
plant cells are full of water, they become firm (turgid), and this turgor
pressure helps keep the plant’s leaves strong, supported, and upright. A plant
cell in this state is rather like a blown-up tyre -tight and firm. It is said to be
turgid. The pressure of the water pushing outwards on the cell wall is called
turgor pressure. Turgor pressure helps a plant that has no wood n it to stay
upright, and keeps the leaves firm. Plant cells re usually turgid.
The figure above shows a
plant cell is placed in a
solution that is more
concentrated than its
cytoplasm. Water leaves the
cell by osmosis. The
cytoplasm and vacuole
shrink. But the cell wall is
strong and stays in position.
The cytoplasm therefore
pulls away from the cell
wall. This pulls the
membrane away from the
cell wall, too. When a plant
cell loses a lot of water, it
also loses its turgor pressure. The contents of the cell do not push outwards
on the cell wall, so the cell becomes soft and floppy. It is said to be flaccid. If
the cells in a plant become flaccid, the plant loses its firmness and begins to
wilt.
Active transport
If a cell needs a substance, then it has to do something to make it go into the
cell instead of diffusing out of it. Cells can use energy to make substances
move across their membranes, up the concentration gradient. This process is
called active transport. The energy needed to do this is provided by
respiration.
Active transport : The movement of molecules or ions through a cell
membrane from a region of lower concentration to a region of higher
concentration using energy from reparation
Process of active transport
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Class 8 Movement in and out of cells By Uzair Ali Siam
In plants, for example, root hair
cells take in nitrate ions from the
soil. The concentration of nitrate
ions inside the root hair cell is
usually higher than their
concentration in the soil. The
diffusion gradient for the nitrate
ions is out of the root hair, and
into the soil. But the root hair
cells are still able to take nitrate
ions in, using active transport.
There are special carrier proteins
in the cell membrane of the root
hair cells. These proteins pick up
nitrate ions from outside the cell,
and then change shape so that
they push the nitrate ions
through the cell membrane and
into the cytoplasm of the cell.
Energy - provided by the
mitochondria, which carry out
aerobic respiration - is needed to
produce the shape change in the carrier protein.
Summary :
Diffusion is the net movement of molecules or ions from a high
concentration to a lower concentration, as result of their random
movement and kinetic energy.
Oxygen and carbon dioxide enter and leave cells by diffusion through the
cell membranes, down a concentration gradient.
An increase in temperature, concentration gradient or surface area speeds
up diffusion into a cell. This car be investigated using pieces of agar jelly.
Water is important in organisms as a solvent, for example in digestion,
excretion and transport.
Water diffuses through partially permeable membranes, including cell
membranes, by osmosis.
Dialysis tubing is partially permeable and can be used to investigate
osmosis.
Animal cells burst in pure water and shrink when placed in a concentrated
solution. Plant cells do not burst in pure water because their cell wall stops
this happening.
Definitions :
Particles The smallest pieces of which substances are made
Kinetic energy Energy of moving objects
The net movement of particles from a region of higher
Diffusion concentration to a region of their lower concentration
due to the random movement of particles.
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Class 8 Movement in and out of cells By Uzair Ali Siam
Net movement Overall or average movement
Concentration Ans imaginary gradient from a high concentration to a
gradient low concentration.
A substance formed by the chemical combination of two
Compound
or more elements in fixed proportions
Partially A membrane that lets some particles move through it,
permeable but prevents others passing through
membrane
The diffusion of water molecules through a partially
permeable membrane. It’s the net movement of water
Osmosis molecules from a region of high-water potential to low
water potential through a partially permeable
membrane.
Water A difference in water potential between two area
potential
gradient
Turgid A description of a plant cell that is tight and firm
Turgor The pressure of the water pushing outwards on a plant
pressure cell wall
Flaccid A description of a plant cell that is soft.
A description of a cell in which the cell membrane tears
Plasmolysed
away from the cell wall.
The movement of molecules or ions through a cell
Active membrane from a region of lower concentration to a
transport region of higher concentration using energy from
reparation
Protein molecules in cell membrane that can use energy
Carrier
to change shape and move ions or molecules into or out
proteins
of a cell.
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