Name ________________________________________ Period ____

Cellular Transport Problem Set

1. Compare (tell how they are similar) and contrast (state how they are different) the terms diffusion and
osmosis.
Similar: diffusion and osmosis both work down a concentration gradient “from high concentration to low
concentration”
Different: Osmosis is the net movement of water and requires a semi permeable membrane; diffusion does not

2.

Beaker A Beaker B Beaker C

100 % Water ____% Sugar 40% Sugar
90% Water ___% Water

a. What is the solute concentration of Beaker A? 0%

b. What is the solvent concentration of Beaker C? 60%
c. What would the solvent concentration be for a solution that is isotonic to Beaker B? 90%

3. Below is a diagram of a cell submerged in a solution.

a. What is the solution in this example – hypotonic, hypertonic or isotonic? The solution is hypertonic
to the cell
b. How do you know? Hypertonic = high salt/solute concentration, low solvent. The cell has only 30%
solute where the solution has 70% solute
c. What process is going to take place in this example? (diffusion or osmosis) osmosis
d. Describe exactly what is going to happen to the cell in this example.
The solution is hypertonic compared to the cell; therefore there will be a net movement of water out of
the cell and into the solution, as osmosis is the net movement of water from an area of high water
concentration (inside the cell) to an area of low water concentration (the solution/outside the cell) across
a semi permeable membrane.
 This membrane is NOT permeable to sugar

30% Sugar
___% Water

70% Sugar
___% Water

4. The cell in this beaker is bathed in a 5% NaCl solution. The membrane is permeable to water but not to NaCl.

i. In which direction is the net movement of water here?

0.9% NaCl

ii. How will this affect the cell?

5% NaCl

i) net movement of water from inside the cell to outside the

cell.
ii) The cell will shrink or crenate

5. Three funnels containing three different starch solutions were placed for 24 hours into a beaker that
contained a starch solution of UNKNOWN concentration. The end of each funnel was covered by a
selectively permeable membrane.
a. What can you say about the concentration of the solution in the beaker based on the results shown in
the diagram? AS there has been a net movement of water into the funnel, the solution must be
hypotonic compared to the cell. This is because osmosis is the net movement of water from an area
of high water concentration (outside the funnel) to an area of low water concentration (inside the
funnel) across a semi permeable membrane.

Tap 2% Starch 4% Starch

Water Solution Solution
Selectively
Permeable
Membrane

UNKNOWN
Solution

START AFTER 24 HOURS

6. A U-tube is divided into 2 halves, A and B, by a membrane which is freely permeable to water and salt, but
NOT to glucose. Side A is filled with a solution of 8% salt and 2% glucose, while side B is filled with 2%
salt and 8% glucose.
a. In terms of glucose concentration,
which side is a hypotonic solution?
Side B 8% Salt 2% Salt
b. What could you say about the water
2% Glucose 8% Glucose
concentration on side A relative to side B?
There would be similar concentrations of water Side A Side B
c. Which molecule(s) will move across the
membrane and in which net direction(s)?

water will move both ways, salt will move from A to B

d. Notice that the levels of liquid in both A
and B are equal. Do you think they will appear this
way when the system reaches equilibrium? Explain.
No, as not all molecules can pass through the membrane. Therefore side B will have more liquid than A, once
equilibrium has been reached
7. The solutions in the arms of the U-tube (at right) are
separated by a selectively permeable membrane that is
permeable to water and solute A, but not to solute B. 40g of
solute A and 20g of solute B have been added to the water on Side 1 Side 2
side 1 of the U-tube. 20g of solute A and 40g of solute B
have been added to the water on side 2 of the U-tube.
Assume that after a period of time, equilibrium is reached.

a. How many grams of solute A will be in solution on side 1 of the U-tube? ~30g
b. How many grams of solute A will be in solution on side 2 of the U-tube? ~ 30g
c. Explain your answers to questions a & b. Solute A can move across the permeable membrane
therefore can try and achieve equilibrium. Solute A will continue to move from Side 1 to side 2, but
over time there would be approximately the same concentration of Solute A on both sides

d. How many grams of solute B will be in solution on side 1 of the U-tube? 20g
e. How many grams of solute B will be in solution on side 2 of the U-tube? 40g
f. Explain your answers to questions d & e. the membrane is not permeable to solute B therefore it is
unable to move from side to side

g. What has happened to the water level in the U-tube? Explain your answer.
The water level would rise side 2 because of the additional 10g of solute A

8. Flasks X, Y, and Z contain solutions with different concentrations of the solute NaCl. Flask X has 0.5%
NaCl, flask Y has 0.9% NaCl, and flask Z has 1.5% NaCl. Red blood cells (0.9% NaCl) will be placed into
each flask.

a. Predict what will happen to the red blood cells in flask X (hint: draw out the situation).
Flask X is hypertonic compared to the RBC. Osmosis is the net movement of water from an area of high water
concentration (the solution) to an area of low water concentration (RBC) across a semi permeable membrane.
Therefore there will be a net movement of water out of the solution and into the cell, causing cell lysis
 b. Predict what will happen to the red blood cells in flask Y (hint: draw out the situation).

Flask X is isotonic compared to the RBC. Osmosis is the net movement of water from an area of high
water concentration () to an area of low water concentration () across a semi permeable membrane. As both
the solution and the cell have the same concentration of water, there will be no net movement of water.

c. Predict what will happen to the red blood cells in flask Z (hint: draw out the situation).

Flask Z is hypotonic compared to the RBC. Osmosis is the net movement of water from an area of high
water concentration (the RBC) to an area of low water concentration (Solution) across a semi permeable
membrane. Therefore there will be a net movement of water out of the cell and into the solution, causing
the cell to crenate.

9. In the U-tube diagram below, the membrane is permeable to solute A; however, it is NOT permeable to
solute Z.

a. What is going to happen to solute A (both

Side 1 Side 2
direction and percentages)?
Solute A will have a net movement of water
and solute A from side 1 to side 2.

20% A 6% A
b. What is going to happen to solute Z (both
10% Z 40% Z
direction and percentages)?
Solute Z is unable to cross the semi permeable
membrane. Therefore solute z concentrations will remain the same

c. What is going to happen to the water levels, specifically?

The water level will rise of side 2, and drop on side 1, due to the net movement of water and solute A
from side 1 to side 2.

90% Water 90% Water

10% Starch 10% Starch
10. Study the diagrams of the beakers to the right, noting 1 2
the concentrations of various substances in the beakers and
in the cellulose bags. Water molecules can pass through the
cellulose, but starch cannot pass through.
a. Draw arrows in the diagrams to show the
direction in which water will move.
1) arrow showing movement of water from the
solution into the bag
b. Which of the beakers contains a solution that is
hypertonic relative to the bag’s contents?
2.
c. What will eventually happen to the concentrations in beaker
100% Water 80% Water
2? Net movement of water from inside the bag to outside the bag 20% Starch
(solution) therefore beaker concentration will be diluted by the movement of water
molecules
11. The direction in which water molecules move during osmosis depends on where the water molecules are
more highly concentrated. Study the diagrams below.
d. Decide whether the solution in each beaker is hypotonic, isotonic, or hypertonic in relation to the
solution inside the cellulose bag, then write your answer below each beaker.]
1) hypertonic – water from bag into solution 2) hypotonic - water from solution into bag 3)
isotonic – no net movment of water
e. Draw arrows to indicate the direction in which the water will move in each case.
90% Water 80% Water 90% Water
10% Starch 20% Glucose 10% Starch

80% Water 100% Water 90% Water

20% Glucose 10% Starch

12. Intravenous solutions must be prepared so that they are isotonic to red blood cells. A 0.9% salt solution is
isotonic to red blood cells.
f. Explain what will happen to a red blood cell placed in a solution of 99.3% water and 0.7% salt.
Solution is hypotonic compared to the RBC. Osmosis is the net movement of water from an area of high
water concentration (the solution) to an area of low water concentration (RBC) across a semi permeable
membrane. Therefore there will be a net movement of water out of the solution and into the cell, causing
cell lysis

g. What will happen to a red blood cell placed in a solution of 90% water and 10% salt?

Solution is hypertonic compared to the RBC. Osmosis is the net movement of water from an area of high
water concentration (the RBC) to an area of low water concentration (the solution) across a semi permeable
membrane. Therefore there will be a net movement of water out of the solution and into the cell, causing the
cell to crenate.