Cell Membrane Structure and Function

What is osmosis?

• The movement of solute particles across a membrane.

• The movement of water across a semi-permeable membrane.

• The movement of molecules from an area of low concentration to high concentration.

• The process of a cell bursting due to water intake.

Why is it important to use raw eggs instead of hard-boiled eggs for the osmosis lab?

• Hard-boiled eggs are too difficult to peel.

• Cooking the egg would make it too heavy for the experiment.

• Boiling would denature the proteins and destroy the membrane's semi-permeable properties.

• Raw eggs absorb vinegar more effectively.

Why are raw eggs soaked in vinegar for an osmosis lab?

• To cook the egg and make it easier to handle.

• To remove the hard shell, leaving a membrane that acts like a cell membrane.

• To sterilize the egg before the experiment.

• To change the egg's internal composition.

What is the primary function of a cell membrane?

• To provide structural support to the cell.

• To control what enters and exits the cell.

• To store genetic material.

• To produce energy for the cell.

What happens to the surface area to volume ratio as a cell increases in size?

• It increases.

• It decreases.

• It remains constant.

• It fluctuates unpredictably.

Why are cells typically very small?

• To minimize their energy requirements.

• To allow for a large surface area to volume ratio.

• To prevent them from being easily seen by predators.

• To fit more cells into an organism.

Which of the following is a core principle of the Modern Cell Theory?

• All cells contain a nucleus.

• All living things are made of one or more cells.

• Cells spontaneously generate from non-living matter.

• Cells are the largest units of life.

In the Fluid Mosaic Model of the cell membrane, what does the term "fluid" refer to?

• The watery environment inside and outside the cell.

• The ability of membrane components to move and shift.

• The membrane's ability to change shape rapidly.

• The presence of water channels within the membrane.

What characteristic describes a phospholipid due to having both a polar head and nonpolar tails?

• Hydrophobic

• Hydrophilic

• Amphiphilic

• Nonpolar

How do phospholipids arrange themselves in a cell membrane to avoid water?

• The polar heads face inward, away from water.

• The nonpolar tails face outward, towards water.

• The nonpolar tails face inward, away from water.

• They randomly scatter throughout the membrane.