Biology: Concepts and Investigations
5th Edition
ISBN: 9781260259049
Author: Hoefnagels
Publisher: MCG
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Chapter 4, Problem 9WIO
Summary Introduction
To determine:
How does diffusion relate to cell surface area to volume ratio.
Concept introduction:
A cell membrane is made of different molecules like phospholipids, proteins, and cholesterol that contribute to the flexible nature of a cell membrane. A cell membrane is selectively permeable in nature, and it allows selective substances to enter the cell. The movement of molecules could be passive like in osmosis and diffusion, active transport or facilitated transport.
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Facilitated diffusion and active transport are two different mechanisms that the cells use to transport molecules into and out of the cell. Compare and contrast these two types of cellular transport.
This graph shows facilitated diffusion of a compound across a cytoplasmic membrane and into a cell. As the external concentration of the compound is increased, the rate of uptake increases until it reaches a point where it slows and then begins to plateau. This is not the case with passive diffusion, where the rate of uptake continually increases as the solute concentration increases. Why does the rate of uptake slow and then eventually plateau with facilitated diffusion?
The surface area to volume ratio affects the ability of the cell to exchange nutrients and waste products with the outside environment. Many factors affect the movement of molecules across the cell membrane, including membrane thickness, temperature, pressure, concentration gradient, molecular mass, distance travelled, solvent properties and surface area of the cell. In general, according to Einstein’s approximation equation (Equation 1), diffusion time is inversely proportional to the to the diffusion coefficient (D), where t is time and x is distance travelled. The diffusion coefficient is unique to each type of molecule and is determined experimentally.
Waste products such as carbon dioxide (CO2) pose a unique problem to cells as their accumulation may be lethal. Exchange with the external environment is dependent upon the distance the waste must travel; for a round cell this will be up to half the cell diameter.
Using the diffusion coefficient (D) for carbon dioxide (1.97 × 10-5…
Chapter 4 Solutions
Biology: Concepts and Investigations
Ch. 4.1 - What are some examples of the work of a cell?Ch. 4.1 - Prob. 2MCCh. 4.1 - Prob. 3MCCh. 4.1 - Prob. 4MCCh. 4.2 - What is metabolism on a cellular level?Ch. 4.2 - Prob. 2MCCh. 4.2 - Prob. 3MCCh. 4.3 - What are the main parts of an ATP molecule?Ch. 4.3 - Prob. 2MCCh. 4.3 - Describe the relationships among endergonic...
Ch. 4.4 - Prob. 1MCCh. 4.4 - Prob. 2MCCh. 4.4 - Prob. 3MCCh. 4.4 - Prob. 4MCCh. 4.4 - List three conditions that influence enzyme...Ch. 4.5 - What is diffusion?Ch. 4.5 - What types of substances diffuse freely across a...Ch. 4.5 - Prob. 3MCCh. 4.5 - Prob. 4MCCh. 4.5 - Prob. 5MCCh. 4.5 - Prob. 6MCCh. 4.6 - How does a knifefish adjust its electric field?Ch. 4.6 - Prob. 2MCCh. 4 - Prob. 1MCQCh. 4 - Building proteins _____ energy; ATP hydrolysis...Ch. 4 - How does an enzyme affect the energy of a...Ch. 4 - Prob. 4MCQCh. 4 - Prob. 5MCQCh. 4 - Some people claim that lifes high degree of...Ch. 4 - List some examples of endergonic and exergonic...Ch. 4 - Why do electron transport chains release energy?Ch. 4 - Provide an example of an appliance that uses...Ch. 4 - Name at least four ways that a cell uses ATP.Ch. 4 - Use what you know about enzymes to propose an...Ch. 4 - Prob. 7WIOCh. 4 - Prob. 8WIOCh. 4 - Prob. 9WIOCh. 4 - Liver cells are packed with glucose. If the...Ch. 4 - Prob. 1PITCh. 4 - Prob. 2PITCh. 4 - Prob. 3PIT
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- Visit this link (http://openstaxcollege.org/l/diffusion) to see diffusion and how it is propelled by the kinetic energy of molecules in solution. How does temperature affect diffusion rate, and why?arrow_forwardWhy is it advantageous for the cell membrane to be fluid in nature?arrow_forwardCompare and contrast the following methods of a passing cell membrane in terms of movement with respect to the concentration gradient, use of ATP, and the use of transporters with examples. (Simple) diffusion vs Facilitated diffusionarrow_forward
- Which of the following statements is correct about passive diffusion? Select one: A) It is a process in which molecules move from a region of lower concentration to one of higher concentration (or up a concentration gradient). B) It is a process in which molecules move from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration (or down a concentration gradient). C) It requires an expenditure of energy by the cell. D) It may require a transport protein. E) It involves movement of molecules down a concentration gradient and may require a transport protein.arrow_forwardWhich of the following is true of exocytosis, but not true of facilitated diffusion? Select all that apply. A) Involves transport vesicles B) May be used to move a hydrophilic substance to the other side of the membrane C) Requires energy D) Always moves a substance down its concentration gradient E) Always results in a substance exiting from the cell .arrow_forwardhow are simple diffusion and facilitated diffusion similar? how are they different? how are facilitated diffusion and active transport similar? how are they different?arrow_forward
- How is active transport different from simple diffusion? Both active transport and simple diffusion transport molecules against the concentration gradient. In active transport, molecules are moved down the concentration gradient; on the B contrary, molecules to be transported in simple diffusion are moved against the concentration gradient. In active transport, molecules are transported with the aid of transport proteins; on the © other hand, molecules to be transported in simple diffusion do not need transport proteins. In active transport, molecules that are transported does not need metabolic energy; in contrast, molecules transported in simple diffusion need metabolic energy.arrow_forwardWhich of the observations suggests that active transport, instead of diffusion, is accountable for transferring a specific material from the outside to the cell's inside?arrow_forwardCompare and contrast the following methods of a passing cell membrane in terms of movement with respect to the concentration gradient, use of ATP, and the use of transporters with examples. (Simple) Diffusion Facilitated Diffusion/Passive Transport Osmosis Active Transport Exocytosis Endocytosis (with its 3 subforms)arrow_forward
- How does each of the following molecule pass through the plasma membrane in the described scenarios? A. Both simple diffusion and facilitated diffusion B. facilitated diffusion C. simple diffusion D. active transport 1. Molecular oxygen (O2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) traveling downtheir concentration gradient. 2. inorganic ions traveling down their concentration gradient 3. glucose traveling against its concentration gradient 4. water molecules (H2O) traveling down their concentration gradientarrow_forwardCrossing a cell membrane by simple diffusion can be distinguished from facilitated diffusion by which of the following: Select all that apply. Simple diffusion moves molecules down a concentration gradient while facilitated diffusion moves molecules up a concentration gradient Simple diffusion does not require membrane proteins; facilitated diffusion requires specific membrane proteins Simple diffusion does not require energy; facilitated diffusion requires energy Simple diffusion is not saturable; facilitated diffusion rates are limited by the number of functional membrane proteins and can be saturatedarrow_forwardWhat is the immediate source of energy for simple diffusion? for facilitated diffusion?arrow_forward
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