Cells: Osmosis, Diffusion, Size

Front

What is osmosis?

Back

Osmosis is the movement of water molecules across a selectively permeable membrane from an area of high water concentration to an area of low water concentration.

Front

Define diffusion.

Back

Diffusion is the process by which molecules spread from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration until equilibrium is reached.

Front

What does it mean for a cell to be in an isotonic solution?

Back

A cell is in an isotonic solution when the concentration of solutes outside the cell is equal to the concentration of solutes inside the cell, resulting in no net movement of water.

Front

What is the significance of equilibrium in cellular processes?

Back

Equilibrium in cellular processes indicates that the concentrations of substances are balanced, leading to stable conditions within the cell.

Front

How do ATP-dependent carrier molecules function in active transport?

Back

ATP-dependent carrier molecules use energy from ATP to transport substances across a membrane against their concentration gradient.

Front

What is the formula for calculating surface area to volume ratio (SA:V) of a cell?

Back

The surface area to volume ratio is calculated by dividing the surface area (SA) by the volume (V) of the cell.

Front

Explain the relationship between cell size and nutrient absorption rate.

Back

As cell size increases, the volume increases faster than the surface area, which can limit the rate of nutrient absorption.

Front

What is phagocytosis?

Back

Phagocytosis is the process by which a cell engulfs large particles or other cells, often referred to as 'cell eating'.

Front

What is pinocytosis?

Back

Pinocytosis is the process by which a cell takes in small amounts of liquid, often referred to as 'cell drinking'.

Front

How do phagocytosis and pinocytosis differ?

Back

Phagocytosis involves the intake of large particles, while pinocytosis involves the intake of small amounts of liquid.