How can a shark find injured prey so quickly? Diffusion & Life

Learning Objectives To describe DIFFUSION To explain what affects the RATE of DIFFUSION To link diffusion with EXAMPLES in BIOLOGY Respiration Digestion Placenta Leaf Cells Nerve Impulses

Diffusion Starter: Explain in terms of particles how the smell of the perfume gets from one side of the class to the other

When you have just sprayed perfume, the concentration of perfume particles in that area is very high. Diffusion is the movement of the ‘smelly’ particles, through particles of air, to an area where they are at a LOWER concentration.

Maybe you can smell your dinner cooking when you get home Maybe you can smell your dinner cooking when you get home... This is due to diffusion.

Moving molecules In which states are molecules able to diffuse? gas (e.g. steam) liquid (e.g. water) solid (e.g. ice) Molecules in liquids and gases are constantly moving and bumping into each other. This means that they tend to spread out.

Diffusion The net movement of particles from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration Due to the random movement of particles A passive process which means that no energy is needed

What effect might the gradient have on speed of diffusion? LOW concentration HIGH concentration A difference in concentration between 2 areas is called a CONCENTRATION GRADIENT. What effect might the gradient have on speed of diffusion?

Rate of Diffusion Steep concentration gradient Draw both sets of diagrams, write how the rate of diffusion changes when the concentration gradient changes Rate of Diffusion Fast Steep concentration gradient Slow Shallow concentration gradient 9

Factors Affecting Diffusion Concentration gradient Temperature Distance particles must travel Faster Diffusion When... Large concentration gradient Higher Temperature Short distance

When will diffusion stop? Think – Pair - Share ?

Has diffusion stopped completely? Draw the diagrams next to each other and copy the captions The particles are fully diffuse. The particles are separate when first put together. They slowly start to mix due to their random motion. The particles are now nearly fully diffuse. Has diffusion stopped completely? Explain your answer 12

Diffusion in action: one gas Teacher notes This activity could be used as a starter exercise to work on diffusion.

Diffusion in action: two gases Teacher notes This activity could be used as a starter exercise to work on diffusion.

What substances are we talking about? Biological diffusion Dissolved substances have to pass through the partially permeable cell membrane to get into or out of a cell. Diffusion is one of the processes that allows this to happen.. What substances are we talking about?

Why is diffusion important? All living cells rely on diffusion to live. They use it for: Getting raw materials for respiration (dissolved substances and gases) Removing waste products (eg. from respiration) Plants use of photosynthesis (raw materials in, waste products out) Examples…

1. Diffusion and breathing Oxygen in inhaled air diffuses through the lungs and into the bloodstream. The oxygen is then transported throughout the body. Carbon dioxide is the waste gas produced by respiration. Carbon dioxide diffuses from body tissues into the bloodstream and is exhaled via the lungs. Where does gas exchange take place in the lungs?

Cross-section through an alveolus Alveoli are the tiny air sacs at the end of the bronchioles, in which gas exchange occurs. air in/out deoxygenated blood (from body tissues) alveolus capillary Teacher notes Alveoli = plural; alveolus = singular oxygenated blood (to body tissues) red blood cell

How are alveoli adapted? Alveoli have several adaptations that help to make gas exchange very efficient: They are very thin – only one cell thick. They are covered by a network of fine capillaries, enabling gases to pass almost directly between the lungs and bloodstream. They are moist, encouraging gas molecules to easily dissolve. They have a large combined surface area, allowing large amounts of gases to be exchanged with each breath.

Respiration & diffusion

2. Diffusion and digestion Digestion breaks down large food molecules into smaller molecules such as glucose, amino acids and fatty acids that can be easily absorbed. Small food molecules are usually absorbed in the small intestine, diffusing across the intestine wall and into the bloodstream.

How is the small intestine adapted? capillary network Villi small intestine blood vessels

Diffusion in Digestion The small intestine has these things called villi. The best way of explaining them, is that they look like millions of little sausages. The villi INCREASE THE OVERALL SURFACE AREA of the small intestine, thus increasing the volume of substances which can be absorbed by diffusion. The villi have a very GOOD BLOOD SUPPLY as each contains a capillary, which leads to the main blood supply, so when substances diffuse, they can go straight to the bloodstream. Attached to each villi are thousands and thousands of MICROVILLI. These are exactly the same as the villi, except a lot smaller. Again, the purpose of these is to further increase the surface area. Like before, as well, this increasing the volume of substances which can be absorbed. So, the main points to remember are: The villi and microvilli result in a LARGE SURFACE AREA, for maximum absorption. The villi also give a GOOD BLOOD SUPPLY to absorb the nutrients.

3. Diffusion and nerves impulses A synapse is a junction between two neurones across which electrical signals must pass. synaptic cleft neurotransmitter neurotransmitter receptor nerve impulse Neurotransmitter molecules diffuse from vesicles towards the neurotransmitter receptors, moving from an area of high concentration to low concentration.

4. Diffusion and the placenta The placenta is an organ that develops in the uterus during pregnancy. The umbilical cord connects the placenta to the fetus. It enables nutrients and oxygen to pass from the mother to the fetus by diffusion, and waste substances to diffuse from the fetus back to the mother.

Diffusion and the placenta The placenta can stop certain molecules and bacteria from diffusing through It is unable to stop many harmful substances such as alcohol, chemicals and some types of virus from diffusing through, reaching the fetus.

Diffusion and the placenta How does the placenta work? blood to mother low in O2/nutrients, high in CO2/waste umbilical cord umbilical artery placental villi increase surface area for diffusion blood from mother high in O2/nutrients low in CO2/waste umbilical vein

Photosynthesis & Diffusion carbon dioxide + water  oxygen + glucose Carbon dioxide diffuses in through the stomata Oxygen and water diffuse out of the stomata During photosynthesis, the level of CO2 is low inside the leaf This creates a big concentration gradient so CO2 diffuses into the cell

Diffusion and the leaf Label the leaf