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Chapter 25 Transport in Living


Things
Worksheet 25.1 For Science Matters Textbook Volume B, sections:
25.1 Diffusion
25.2 Osmosis

Secure Your Basics

Without referring to the textbook, try to answer these questions. If you cannot
answer a question, look up the relevant section in your textbook.

1. Marie is sitting at the back of the classroom. Why is it that she can smell the perfume
from her teacher who is standing in front of the class?
A Diffusion of the perfume particles from a region of higher
concentration to a region of lower concentration
B Diffusion of the perfume particles from a region of lower
concentration to a region of higher concentration
C Osmosis of the perfume particles from a region of higher
concentration to a region of lower concentration
D Osmosis of the perfume particles from a region of lower
concentration to a region of higher concentration ( A )

For questions 2 – 3, refer to the diagram below.

Key
water molecules
sugar molecules
net movement

partially permeable membrane

2. The diagram shows the movement of some molecules in a solution. Which process
is the diagram trying to show?
A Active transport B Diffusion
C Evaporation D Osmosis ( D )

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3. Which of the following explains correctly why there is no net movement of sugar
molecules in the diagram?
A The concentration of sugar molecules is too high on one side.
B The sugar molecules are too large to pass through the partially
permeable membrane.
C The water molecules blocked the movement of the sugar molecules
during the movement of the water molecules.
D There are no sugar molecules on the other side to attract the other
molecules. ( B )

4. What would happen if a red blood cell was placed in distilled water?
A It would break into two. B It would burst.
C It would shrink. D Nothing would happen. ( B )

5. Two experiments, A and B, were set up. After 30 minutes, the Visking tubing
containing liquid R had collapsed while the Visking tubing containing liquid Q had
swelled and was firm. This is as shown below.

Visking
tubing
(partially
liquid Q permeable)
liquid R

liquid P

A B

a) Explain the meaning of ‘partially permeable’.


A partially permeable membrane allows only small molecules to pass through but not large

molecules.

b) The three liquids used in this experiment are distilled water, 10% salt solution
and 25% salt solution.

i) Identify liquids P, Q and R at the start of the experiment.

Liquid P: 10% salt solution

Liquid Q: 25% salt solution

Liquid R: Distilled water

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ii) Explain your choices in part (i).
After 30 minutes, the Visking tubing containing solution R collapsed. This implies that

solution R has a higher water potential than solution P. Thus, water from solution R moves

into solution P by osmosis.

On the other hand, the Visking tubing containing solution Q swelled. This implies that solution

Q has a lower water potential than solution P.

Water from solution P moves across the Visking tubing into solution Q by osmosis. Hence,

solution Q is 25% salt solution, which is more concentrated that solution P.

c) Draw and label what a typical plant cell would look like if it was placed in
liquid Q for 30 minutes.

Map It Out

Complete the graphic organiser that follows each question.

1. How is diffusion similar to or different from active transport?

Diffusion Active transport

• From higher to • From lower to


lower concentration • Transport of higher concentration
region molecules region

• Requires energy
• Does not involve energy

© 2008 Marshall Cavendish International (Singapore) Pte Ltd Transport in Living Things 83
2. How are diffusion and osmosis involved in the transport systems of humans and
plants?

In humans In plants

• Exchange of oxygen and


carbon dioxide between the
Movement of carbon dioxide
blood and the lungs
Diffusion into the plants and
• Exchange of nutrients and oxygen out of the
waste materials between the plants through the stomata

body cells and the blood during photosynthesis

plasma

Movement of water in and out Osmosis Movement of water from the

of the body cells soil into the root hair cells

Challenge Yourself • 20 min •

Attempt the following questions within the time allocated.

1. Isaac placed three potato strips, of length 60 mm each, in a bowl of distilled water,
a bowl of dilute salt solution and a bowl of concentrated salt solution. After 20
minutes, he measured the length of each potato strip. His results are recorded in
the table below.

Initial length Final length


Strip
(mm) (mm)
1 60 59
2 60 62
3 60 55

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a) Using the data provided, suggest which solution each strip was placed in.

Potato strip 1 was placed in the bowl of dilute salt solution.

Potato strip 2 was placed in the bowl of distilled water.

Potato strip 3 was placed in the bowl of concentrated salt solution.

b) Explain why there is a change in the length of potato strip 3.


The cells in the potato strip have partially permeable membranes. When placed in the bowl of

concentrated salt solution, osmosis occurs. The water potential of the cell sap is higher than the

water potential of the salt solution. Water will move out of the cell sap into the solution. The volume

of the potato cells decreases and therefore, the potato strip will shrink.

*c) Draw a fully labelled cell of potato strip 2 that can be observed under a light
microscope.

vacuole cell wall

cytoplasm

cell membrane nucleus

*d) Suggest what Isaac can do to improve the experiment so that his results are
more accurate.
To improve the experiment, Isaac can use more potato strips (e.g. three potato strips) for each

concentration of solution, instead of just one potato strip. He needs to take the average change in

length for all the potato strips, for each concentration. By doing so, the results will be more accurate

and this minimises experimental errors.

e) Describe what will happen to a red blood cell if it was placed in the bowl of
concentrated salt solution.
The red blood cell will shrink.

© 2008 Marshall Cavendish International (Singapore) Pte Ltd Transport in Living Things 85
2. The diagram shows a simplified diagram of a kidney dialysis machine.

dialysis fluid in

blood in blood out

dialysis tubing
(partially permeable)
dialysis fluid out

The blood of a patient flows from one side of the tubing to the other side. The dialysis
fluid has a composition and concentration equal to that of the plasma of a normal
person, except for the amount of waste materials (urea). There is no, or a very low
concentration of, waste materials in the fluid.

a) Suggest a function of this kidney dialysis machine.


To remove urea from the bloodstream

b) What process causes excess water from the patient to pass into the dialysis
fluid?
Osmosis

c) The waste materials will pass out of the blood into the dialysis fluid. Name the
process by which this occurs.
Diffusion

*d) In an actual kidney dialysis machine, the dialysis tubing is not a straight tube,
but made up of many folds. Suggest a reason for this.
This increases the surface area to volume ratio, so as to increase the rate of diffusion.

*e) The machine helps patients whose kidneys do not work properly to remove
waste materials from their bodies. If the waste materials are not removed,
the patients will die. State another way to help save these patients.
Kidney transplant

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