Essentials of Biology
Essentials of Biology
4th Edition
ISBN: 9780078024221
Author: Sylvia S. Mader Dr., Michael Windelspecht
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Education
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Chapter 20, Problem S5.4BYB
Summary Introduction

To analyze:

The effect of diffusion and osmosis on the transport of water and solutes in the cells.

Introduction:

There are a number of methods to transport molecules and substances in and out of the cell through plasma membrane. Since plasma membrane is a semi-permeable membrane, they selectively allow certain molecules to enter in and out of the cell. Diffusion and osmosis are the important mechanism by which the molecules can transport through the membrane.

Expert Solution & Answer
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Explanation of Solution

Both the processes, diffusion and osmosis are passive transport mechanism, since they do not need any energy to transport molecules.

Diffusion is the process in which the gases and small molecules is transported from higher concentration to lower concentration or down the concentration gradient. The difference in concentration in and out of the cell, the molecular size of the chemical substance, temperature and the nature of solubility of the substances determine the rate of diffusion.

The osmosis is a type of diffusion, in which the water molecules are transported from the region of higher concentration of water to a region of lower concentration of the water. The osmosis and diffusion are the important process in the cellular transport. The exchange of the gases and other minute, lipid soluble substances are not possible without these processes.

Conclusion

Diffusion and osmosis affect the transport of different substances between the cell and its external environment.

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