Cell Biology – Osmosis & Diffusion

Known as cell biology (formerly cytology), cell biology is deemed as the standard unit of life,
affecting every single living being. The amount of cells found in living beings varies between
animals and plants, with humans hosting to about almost 10 trillion cells, including two
hundred different types with assigned roles. At a cellular level, cells heal broken bones,
organ tissue and fend off infections and viruses. Through an assortment of biological
mechanisms, membrane transport refers to the selection of substances and solutes. As a
result of selective membrane permeability, it helps regulate the passage of certain
substances, separating what is and what isn’t needed. Labelled as the plasma or cytoplasmic
membrane, the cell membrane is an animal’s outer barrier tasked with the purpose of
protection. These outer barriers are to protect and to separate the interior from the outside
environment, while also allowing certain substances into the cell, keeping other external
substances out. This is achievable through the use of phospholipid bilayers and embedded
proteins. An arrangement of two layers known as phospholipid bilayers form a semi-
permeable bilayer. Only hydrophobic molecules can pass through (i.e. gases, steroids and
fat soluble vitamins etc.) whereas water soluble (Hydrophilic) molecules like glucose cannot.
The fluid mosaic model is an example of hydrophilic and hydrophobic
Hydrophobic substances own properties that are water repelling (water hating), essentially
lacking the affinity for water, generally not combining with water or being able to dissolve in
water. The opposite of hydrophobic is known as hydrophilic, having a tendency t, having a
tendency to dissolve or mix with or to be wetted by water.
Where areas of low solute concentrations are present, water molecules will move to the
regions of high concentrations usually to equalize both of the solute concentrations. Since
biological membranes are semi-permeable, osmosis becomes an important factor in
biological systems. Through the use of osmosis, it allows the body to have an intake of
proteins while also balancing the pressure and concentration on both sides. Not only does
osmosis help out with the points mentioned previously, without osmosis, the human body
wouldn’t be able to excrete toxic wastes from the bloodstream and such. Similar to each
other, diffusion is technically the opposite of osmosis where dissolved particles (Solutes) will
move from an area present with high concentrations to a region located with low amounts –
this is called a concentration gradient. Several factors that can affect osmosis are;
hypotonic, hypertonic, isotonic, water potential and osmotic pressure. Temperature can
also be a big factor in changing the rate of osmosis and diffusion as a higher temperature
gives the molecules and ions more kinetic energy, thus molecules moving around faster. As
thousands of molecules are trying to enter the cell membrane, only one can fit through at a
time through one hole, but if the surface area were to increase in size, then the amount of
passage ways begin to number, thus increasing how many cells can go through. Another
major effect temperature has on other than causing the molecules to become excited is the
fluidity of the membrane. As temperature rises the fluidity of the membrane will increase
with a functioning at best normally at 98.7 degrees Fahrenheit in warm blooded animals like
humans (sciencing.com). When heated up to a high degree of temperature, the lipids gain
more thermal energy, and as the temperature continues to rise, the energetic lipids begin to
move around more, rearranging and arranging.
Osmosis can be affected in several circumstances, the main factors that can contribute to
the rate at which osmosis can be; temperature, Surface area, concentration, pressure. The
factor that was decided to be tested was temperature, and with that, to observe how
temperature affects the rate at which osmosis accelerates. To test this, a cellulose tube is
filled with syrup and is tied tightly by two rubber bands. The cellulose tube is filled with
syrup, it is then placed in beakers filled with different temperatures such as Cold (10
degrees), room temp. (23 – 24), warm water (40 degrees) and boiling water (60 degrees).
Thus testing to see if the weight gain is considerably different with the different type of
temperatures.
Method:
(a) Allow the syrup bottle to rest in warm water so that the syrup becomes runny, accelerating
the speed of the experiments.
(b) Grab a dry piece of cellulose tube and wet it as you are slowly rubbing the end so that the
cellulose tube begins to separate.
(c) Tie the ends of the cellulose tube with small rubber bands that are given out.
(d) Use a dropping pipette to fill the cellulose tube and connector with syrup solution having an
average within 17g – 19g
(e) Fill a beaker with water at room temperature
(f) Repeat ‘e’ with other needed temperatures such as cold, warm and hot/boiling
water
(g) Weigh the cellulose bag filled with syrup to gain an estimate of the amount that’s
aimed at.
(h) After the syrup bag is weighed, attempt to place all of the cellulose tubes in the four
beakers at the same time for a time of 15 minutes.
(i) After 15 minutes is finished, dry the cellulose tube to prevent inaccurate readings.
(j) Place cellulose bag onto the scale and write down the results.

Temperature Initial (g) Final (g) Total Rate of

Change change
COLD (10*) 18.34 19.69 1.35g 0.09g/min
ROOM (24*) 17.82 20.93 3.11g 0.2g/min
WARM (40*) 16.65 23.64 6.99g 0.46g/min
HOT (60*) 19.79 21.93 2.14g 0.14g/min

It was hypothesised that as temperature increased, the rate of osmosis would also increase
within the cellulose tube. While the different temperatures each had a varying result, it is
unknown whether these are actually correct as there are many factors that contribute to an
error in the data. The results partially support the hypothesis as it can be seen that by
gradually increasing the temperature, there would be a small or large difference. Although
similar results were found, both experiments, cold (10*) and warm (40*) temperatures had
clearly different results than that of room and hot temperatures with a low and high of
1.35g and 6.99g. Yet many more trials should be conducted to prove whether or not these
results are actually an often occurrence.

Rate Of Osmosis
8

Weight Gain 4

0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5
Trial #

The end results do not support the original hypothesis which was by showing that as
temperature is increased, so will the acceleration of osmosis. Although that the results
partially support the experiment, this doesn’t mean that the data supports this. It is clear
that the data won’t be as reliable or valid due to a lack in information, hence why the
hypothesis isn’t supported by the data. Another major outlier in the data is the difference
between trial 3 and trial 4 due to trial 3 being quite different in terms of the total change. Its
speculated that there may have been a problem with the cellulose tube as its thought that
some of the material burned as seen as when the rubber bands break under certain heats.
Another error to be considered (and was a problem throughout the four experiments) was
having to keep the temperature at a stable rate, and because of this error, the data may
become unreliable.
The independent variable (temperature) can be considered as a positive relationship with
the dependent variable (weight – centre meters) as the temperature seems to encourage a
rise within weight clearly shown in trial 3 and 2. Though the reliability of this data is to be
considered.
While osmosis is a passive motion, the reactions to an increase to temperature is quite
noticeable. When two forms of substances come in contact with each other, the present
particles will randomly move about in both solutions, eventually creating an equal amount
in both of the solutions. If the process is contributed by another form of energy, such as the
form of heat, molecules will tend to move faster than before, thus accelerating the process
of osmosis. Throughout the testings, several changes were to be made due to some errors
and because of this, a lack in trials was present. This can affect the validity and reliability of
the data, thus causing problems both graphing and stating the results.
The experiment was to test whether or not increasing the temperature would increase the
rate at which osmosis works, which was partially proven to be true, but due to the lack of
data, the reliability and validity is questionable. If any changes were to be made, it would
definitely be an increase in trials and a different/stronger material replacing both the rubber
bands and cellulose tubing so it is possible for higher temperature.

Errors –
Mechanical errors:
- Rubber bands kept melting when placed in boiling temperature,
- Very likely that the cellulose tubes would dissolve due to the temperature as well.
- Temperature was difficult to contain in a certain temp.
Bibliography:
https://biologywise.com/importance-of-osmosis-in-living-organisms
https://sciencing.com/concentration-solution-affect-osmosis-8692240.html
https://study.com/academy/lesson/osmotic-pressure-definition-formula-quiz.html
https://chem.libretexts.org/Core/Physical_and_Theoretical_Chemistry/Physical_Properties_
of_Matter/Solutions_and_Mixtures/Colligative_Properties/Osmotic_Pressure
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/osmotic-pressure
https://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/Fluid_mosaic_model