Theory In order to get energy, gases and to remove waste, a cell needs to exchange resources with the environment around it. To facilitate this process to happen, a cell must have a semi permeable membrane. The cell membrane is selectively permeable and only allows particular substances such as water, to freely move through the membrane while other substances are not able to pass through. This process is achieved through either active or passive transport. Active transport is where the cell requires a substance which is already in high concentration inside the cell. This means that it must actively use energy to move against the natural concentration gradient, which is telling it move out of the cell, resulting in a decrease in the required …show more content…
In plants, osmosis allowed cells to transfer and move water throughout the plant, without which the plant would die. It also ensures that plants are not taking in too much water which can also be detrimental to them. Water is stored in the vacuole which also allows the plant to maintain a rigid structure. In an animal/human cell, osmosis means that the cells and the concentration gradient are levelled, without this, then it is likely that the cells would take in too much. Animals have kidneys to regulate the water level inside the body, however cells still rely on osmosis and a semi-permeable membrane to allow water to freely move in and out of the …show more content…
In plants, osmosis is used to move water throughout the plants as it is absorbed by the roots and needs to be spread amongst the plant cells. Isotonic In an isotonic solution, both the inner environment and the outer environment are of the same concentration, meaning that whilst there is movement in and out of the cell, it is equal. Hypertonic In a hypertonic solution, the inner environment has a lower concentration of dissolved molecules, whilst the outer environment has a higher concentration. In this situation, the solution will move out of the cell (the inner environment), in order to level out the concentration. Hypotonic In a hypotonic solution, the inner environment has a higher concentration than the outer environment. Therefore, the water will move into the cell, thus levelling out the concentration of the two environments. Surface Area to Volume Ratio If the surface area of an object is large compared to the volume, then it makes the process of osmosis easier as it allows the cells to exchange substances at a faster rate. What are some examples of why it is important to understand these