BIOLOGY (5090) BODMAS SCHOOLONG SYSTEM AND COACHING CENTER

2.1. DIFFUSION
Movement of molecules or particles from regions of higher to regions of lower concentration, down a
concentration gradient.

BIOLOGICAL CONCEPT:

In biology, it is a type of passive transport, therefore, it is a net movement of molecules in and out of
the cell across the cell membrane along a concentration gradient.

EXAMPLES

 Digested particles of food diffuse in the colon.

 Oxygen in the lungs diffuses from the alveolar air space into the blood circulating around the
lungs.
 Carbon dioxide diffuses from the blood circulating around the lungs into the alveolar air space.
 Oxygen diffuses from the blood cells in the blood stream into muscles. During pregnancy, food
molecules and oxygen diffuse from the mother’s blood to the fetus’s blood supply through the
placenta.’

2.2 OSMOSIS
Movement of molecules from the region of higher concentration towards the region of lower
concentration through a semi permeable membrane / differentiately permeable membrane/ selectively
permeable membrane, down a concentration gradient.

OR

Movement of water molecules from a region of higher water potential to a region of lower water
potential, through a partially permeable membrane
BIOLOGICAL CONCEPT

In biology, it is related to cells. This is usually when a solvent such as water flows into or out of a cell
depending on the concentration of a solute such as salt. Osmosis happens spontaneously and without
any energy through a semi permeable membrane.

EXAMPLES

 Swelling of raisin when immersed in water.

 Movement of water in animal cell across our cell membrane.
 Plants take water and mineral from roots with the help of Osmosis.
 If you are there in a bath tub or in water for long your finger gets pruned. Finger skin absorbs
water and gets expanded.

2.3 ACTIVE TRANSPORT

A kind of transport where ions or molecules move against a concentration gradient, which means
movement in the direction opposite that of diffusion

OR

movement from an area of lower concentration to an area of higher concentration this process requires
energy, and the assistance of a type of protein called a carrier protein
BIOLOGICAL CONCEPT
Active transport is a type of cellular transport.

In contrast to passive transport, the active transport involves the movement of a substance (e.g. ions,
glucose, and amino acids) across a membrane from a region of its lower concentration to a region of its
higher concentration against a concentration gradient.

Since it is against the concentration gradient, this type of transport uses cellular energy (e.g. ATP) .

The cellular energy is supplied through cell respiration.

Mitochondria are the cell organelles in the cytoplasm that provide such type of energy source and also
regulate energy release

EXAMPLES OF ACTIVE TRANSPORT

 Root hair cells in plant roots use active transport to absorb mineral ions (such as nitrates) from
the soil - even though there are lower concentrations of minerals in the soil than there are
within the root hair cell.
 Small intestine villi cells use active transport alongside diffusion to maximize the absorption of
glucose and other substances, e.g. minerals.