AGAR CUBE LAB

Diffusion in Agar Cubes

Calculations:

Observations:

Placed before solution

few seconds after placed into solution

10 min in solution

Cut in half

 

Conclusion Questions: 

1. In terms of maximizing diffusion, what was the most effective size cube you tested?

The maximum diffusion, which is the most effective size was the smallest cube size which was  1cm X 1cm X 1cm.

2. Why was the size most effective at maximizing diffusion? What are the important factors that affect how materials diffuse into cells or tissues?

The smallest cube was most effective because it had the smallest volume which made it easy for the diffusion to happen throughout the whole cube. Important factors that affect how materials diffuse into cells or tissues are polarity, temperature, size of cell, concentration, and type off materials used.

3. If a large surface area is helpful to cells, why do cells not grow to be very large?

Cells don’t grow to large sizes because the cells surface area increases which also means the volume will too. This will cause diffusion to be inefficient, the process of diffusion will not happen throughout the whole cell. The way the cell grows is because there is less membrane for the substances to diffuse throughout the centre of the cell, which results in the cell will be lacking the substance that it needs.

4. You have three cubes, A, B and C. They have surface to volume ratios off 3:1, 5:2, and 4:1 respectively. Which of these cubes is going to be the most effective at maximizing diffusion, how do you know? 

The cube that would be most effective during maximum diffusion would be 4:1, because it has. a higher surface area to volume ratio.  There is more of a cell membrane than A and B because, every cubic unit of cytoplasm. This will show that inside the cube will effect the diffusion which allows material to enter the cytoplasm.

5. How does your body adapt surface area to. volume ratios to help exchange gases?

Our bodies contain a large organs, which form small sphere that cover as much surface area as possible, this is in order because it efficiently changes gases. Our bodies establishes where the gas exchange happens due to the sureface area and volume ratio.

6. Why can’t certain cells, like bacteria, get to be the size of a small fish?

Bacteria can’t be the size of a fish because they divide in order to keep a good surface area to volume ratio. In order for some cells to active they need to be small. To ensure proper diffusion throughout the whole cell there surface area to volume ratio would be to0 small.

7. What are the advances of large organisms being multi-cellular?

They contain cells that have their own specific functions, where a unicellular only has one cell with one function. They also grow to a larger size, but they can still be small. This is because of the increase of cell number  in the organisms over a period of time.

 

 

 

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