Unit 5 Notes

Diffusion
A. “The tendency for molecules of any substance to spread out evenly into
the available space.”
1. In other words, a substance will diffuse from where it is more
concentrated to where it is less concentrated
B. This is called going down a concentration gradient, and this requires NO
energy
C. The diffusion of a substance across a biological membrane is called
passive transport, because the cell does not have to expend energy to make
it happen
• Remember, though, that membranes are selectively permeable!
1. Sometimes, they can be picky!
a. examples
1. proteins
2. glucose
3. NaCl
Osmosis
A. definition
1. the movement (diffusion) of water across a selectively permeable
membrane
a. again, this is passive transport, so no energy is involved
2. the water molecules are traveling from an area of high
concentration of water molecules to an area of low concentration
of water molecules, until equilibrium is reached
B. Solutions of different concentrations
1. hyperosmotic or hypertonic
a. this solution has a low concentration of water and a high
concentration of other molecules
1. water will want to move into the area with a high
concentration of other molecules
2. hypoosmotic or hypotonic
a. high concentration of water, low concentration of other
molecules
1. a “dilute” solution
2. water will want to move out of this area toward a
hyperosmotic solution
3. Isoosmotic
a. solutions are of equal concentrations

4. Osmotic Pressure
a. the tendency for a solution to take up water when separated
from pure water by a selectively permeable membrane
• Look back at the 3 kinds of solutions and relate each to this
concept
I. Active Transport
 A. definition
1. a cell spending energy to pump a molecule across a membrane
AGAINST the concentration gradient
B. example
1. your cells and glucose
a. cells will spend energy to pump extra glucose molecules in
to the cell
b. = glucose

time

II. Solute vs. Solvent

A. a solute is a substance that can be dissolved in a liquid
1. Example
a. sugar
b. salt
B. solvent is the liquid
• osmosis
1. the movement of water from an area of high concentration of water
to an area of low concentration of water

III. Three different solutions

A.
1. The cell is isotonic or isoosmotic to its environment
a. all solutes
1. example
a. sugar
 b. Net movement of water
1. equally in and out
2. The cell is hypotonic or hypoosmotic to its environment

a. Net movement of water

1. out of the cell
3. The cell is hypertonic or hyperosmotic to its environment

a. net movement of water

1. into the cell

IV. 3 types of nerve cells

A. sensory neuron
B. motor neuron
C. interneuron