IB Biology Gr11 Topic 1 PBL

Scenario or Problem:
 
Imagine you are a forensic toxicologist and you have received the following case from the local
police report:
 
A mother of three died after participating in a radio station drinking competition. During the
contest, contestants were handed half-pint bottles of water to drink every 15 minutes for the first
hour, and then larger bottles towards the end.
The winner was the last contestant to go to the toilet. Fellow contestant James Ybarra said:
"They were small little half-pint bottles, so we thought it was going to be easy. They told us if
you don't feel like you can do this, don't put your health at risk."
John Geary, vice president and marketing manager for Enter com Sacramento, the station's
owner, said station staff were "stunned" at the tragedy. He said: "We are awaiting information
that will help explain how this tragic event occurred."
Use your knowledge of osmosis and diffusion to explain what happened to the contestant.
With questions and threats of legal battles piling up, the police are looking to you and your team
for answers to this mysterious death. Could water really have killed this young mother? Or was
there another more sinister cause?

You will need to summarize your findings in an official case report that utilizes appropriate
terminology learned throughout your investigation. Your case report must include the following
items: a cause of death (by name) as well as evidence that supports your conclusion.

Cell Membrane Lab

Student Version
Background Information:
The cell membrane or also called the plasma membrane is a remarkable film so thin that
you would have to stack 8,000 of them to equal the thickness of the page you are
reading.2 The plasma membrane is a flexible, nonrigid structure made of two layers of
phospholipid molecules, with each molecule having a hydrophilic (water-loving) “head”
and a hydrophobic “tails” of the phospholipids point inward; the hydrophilic “heads” point
outward, in contact with the watery environments inside and outside of the
cell. This lipid bilayer structure is studded with proteins. The proteins move laterally
within the membrane forming what is called a fluid mosaic.3 These proteins serve an
important role of allowing substances to enter the cell that may not otherwise be able to
cross the lipid bilayer of the plasma membrane. Because of its molecular composition, the
plasma membrane is selective about what passes through it.4 It allows nutrients to enter
the cell but keeps out undesirable substances. By the same token, valuable cell proteins and
other substances are kept within the cell, and wastes pass to the exterior. This property is
known as selectively permeable. Nutrients, respiratory gases, wastes and inorganic ions
must all pass through the membrane on their way into or out of the cell. The unique
structure of the plasma membrane allows some substances to easily enter and exit the cell
while others must pass with the assistance of embedded proteins. Transport through the
plasma membrane occurs in two basics ways. In passive processes, concentration or
pressure differences drive the movement. In active processes, the cell provides energy
(ATP) to power the transport process.

PreLab Questions:
1. Where is the cell membrane located?

Outside the cell.

2. What is the function of the cell membrane?

It acts as the passage to choose which particle could enter and exit the cell.

3. What is another name for the cell membrane?

Plasma Membrane

4. What does selectively permeable mean?

All cells are enclosed with a cell membrane, and it is one that allows certain molecules
or ions to pass through it by means of active or passive transport.

5. What is the difference between active and passive transport?

Passive transport moves ions from high concentration to low without using metabolic
energy. It also uses the process of osmosis and diffusion to move substances along the
concentration gradient. Active transport moves ions from low concentration to high
using metabolic energy in the form of ATP.

Part One: Cell Membrane Lab

Procedure:
1. Make your soapy solution by adding 50 ml of dish soap to your pan.
2. Then add two drops of glycerin to the soap.
3. Now we must construct the frame with straws and string. Cut a straw in half with
scissors.
4. Thread the 45 cm long string through the two pieces of straw. Tie the ends of the
string in a knot to form a loop.
5. Move the string so the knot is hidden inside one of the straws.
6. Now create a handle by threading another piece of string (20 cm) through one of the
pieces of straw. Tie the ends of the 20 cm piece of string together in a knot. If you are
having trouble, you can tie one end of the shorter 15 cm long piece of string to the
frame, then pull the string through one of the straws. Then untie the knot of the shorter
string and make the handle.
7. Fill the pan with the 50 ml of dish soap.
8. Shape the frame into a rectangle. Hold the frame by the handle and immerse the
entire frame in the soapy solution.
9. Lift the frame by the handle until the bottom of the frame is out of the soapy
solution. You should have a rectangular soap film between the two half-straws. If there
is no soap film, try immersing and lifting the frame again. Now we are going to poke the
film with various things. If the film pops or stays intake, make sure to try poking the
film two more times with the same substance to confirm your results.
10. Have one partner hold the frame that molds the cell membrane while the other
partner acts like materials trying to get into the cell. Try poking your finger through the
soap film. Record what happens. If your film breaks in between trials immerse it in the
soapy solution again.
11. Now wet your finger with water and poke it through the film. Then gently move it
around the frame in a circular motion. Record what happens.
12. Now dip your finger in the soapy solution and poke it through the film. Record what
happens.
13. Take the condiment cup with the bottom removed and grab it near one end. Now try
to poke it through the film. Be sure to put the uncut end of the condiment cup in first.
14. Now, immerse the condiment cup in the soapy solution and poke it through the
soapy solution. When you can successfully insert a bubble-solution-coated cup through
the soapy film, leave the can in this position and have your partner pass you can object
through the opening in the cup.
15. Answer the conclusion questions and move on to part two.
Data/Results
Substance Result
Dry finger
Pops
Wet finger
Doesn’t pop
Soapy finger
Doesn’t pop
Dry condiment Cup
Pops
Soapy condiment cup
Doesn’t pop – 0nly
bubbles in the cup
Page Break
Explanation:
The soapy film creates a water sandwich that has two layers of soap with a layer of
water in the middle. The hydrophilic heads of the soap molecules point inward
toward the water layer, and the hydrophobic tails of the soap molecules point
toward the outside of the film, in contact with the air.

The surface tension that causes the soapy film is due to the tendency of water, through
hydrogen bonding, to minimize its surface area. When a finger, condiment cup, or
other object is wetted with the soapy solution and inserted through the film, the film
remains in contact with a like solution, and doesn’t burst because it continues to
 minimize its surface area. The water-coated finger also causes the film to stretch at
the point of entry rather than burst because water wants to minimize its surface area.
A dry object simply sheers the film.

Plasma membranes are similar to soap films in many respects. They are
both bilayer structures with hydrophobic and hydrophilic ends. They both allow
objects to move laterally within them and they are both flexible. Plasma membranes
do not burst like soap films though. Both are selectively permeable and allow
hydrophobic substances to pass through them like the condiment cup coated in
soap.

Part One Conclusion Questions:

1. What part of the cell does the soapy solution in the frame represent?

Cell membrane

2. What does your finger represent in this demonstration?

Any particle or substances that is entering or trying to enter the cell

3. What does the condiment cup allow you to do?

The condiment cup allows objects to pass through that would have pop

4. What does the condiment cup represent in a real plasma membrane?

The condiment cup represents the protein channels for the passage of particles in the
plasma membrane.

5. How does the soap film demonstrate the selectively permeable nature of the plasma
membrane?

The difference of a dry finger and a wet finger demonstrates the permeable nature of the
plasma membrane. A dry finger would pop. However, a wet finger wouldn’t.

Bonus Extension Question:

All of the chemical reactions inside the cell take place in water. 5Additionally, water surrounds
the cells. 46% of your body’s mass is comprised of water located inside cells, with another 23%
comprised of water located outside of the cells. Add it up...and your body consists of
approximately 70% water!

Water is a molecule that consists of two atoms of hydrogen and one atom of oxygen – its
chemical formula is H20. Water is considered to be a polar molecule because it has a slightly
positive charge near the hydrogen atoms and a slightly negative charge near the oxygen atom.
The ends of polar molecules attract opposite charges and repel like charges, just like a magnet.
Because of its polarity, many substances dissolve easily in water. However,
not all molecules dissolve in water.....

Most lipids do not dissolve in water. A cell’s membrane is composed of a type of lipid that has
two parts: a water-loving (“hydrophyllic”) head and a water-hating (“hydrophobic”) tail.The
cell membrane is called the phospholipid bilayer because it is made of two layers of lipid
molecules, with the nonpolar tails meeting each other in the middle.

Why is it important that the cell membranes are composed of lipids?

Lipids are bilayer, and it made of hydrophilic heads facing inside and hydrophobic tails
facing out. This means that their hydrophobic (“water fearing”) tails would not dissolve in
water. This allows the cell membrane not to dissolve in water.

Page Break
Part Two: Exploring Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic
Now we will experiment with various substances and see how they affect the soapy film.
Try dipping your finger in various substances and seeing how the film reacts. Remember to
repeat your test for each substance at least three times to confirm your results. Record
your observations in a data table you create.

Use the blank lab report form to record this portion of the lab.

Materials Available:
Olive Oil
Vegetable Oil
Sugar
Salt
Distilled Water
Tap Water
Isopropyl Alcohol
Baking Soda

Remember you can dissolve substances in water to create a solution.

Part Two Conclusion:

1. What substances were you able to poke through the film without popping it? What
do these substances have in common? Use your class data to answer this question.

2. What substances popped the film? What do these substances have in common? Use
your class data to answer this question.
 3. What is the difference between hydrophilic and hydrophobic?

Hydrophilic means it is attracted to water, and hydrophobic means resistant to water.

4. Why is the cell membrane called a lipid bilayer?

Because it has two layers of lipids. It consists of the hydrophobic tail facing outside and the hydrophilic head facing
inside.

5. If the soapy film was actually the cell membrane, what substances you tested would
need assistance being transported into the cell?
The substances that pops.

Part Three: Passive Transport Demonstrations

Demonstration #1
Take a colander and pour 50 g of salt and 50 g of dried black or lima beans in the
colander.

1. The colander represents what organelle of a cell?

Cell membrane

2. The salt is _small_ enough to pass through, but the beans are too _big_. In a cell,
water, carbon dioxide, and oxygen are small enough to cross the cell membrane but larger
particles cannot cross. The cell membrane is _selectively_ permeable, which means that
some substances pass though while others do cannot.
3. The movement of water molecules through a selectively permeable membrane is
called _osmosis_.

Demonstration #2
Take 200ml of water and add a drop of food coloring. Watch the food coloring for 2
minutes.

1. What happened to the food coloring after it entered the beaker? It will spread.
2. Diffusion is the movement of particles (like the food coloring particles?) from areas
of high concentration to an area of low concentration until the concentration in both areas
is uniform.
3. How does this idea of diffusion relate to the smell when you spray perfume in a
room? It spreads around the room.
4. How is osmosis related to diffusion?
Osmosis is the movement of water molecules and is a type of diffusion.
Name: Cho Young Jin
The Egg-Citing Egg-Speriment!
Introduction:
Our bodies are made up of cells that are responsible for every job our body does.6 But for
our cells to perform all these jobs properly, they need to bring in certain particles from
outside the cell (just the way that an individual person usually needs help from other
people to do a big project). One way for particles to enter the cell and help it do its job is to
simply pass through the cell membrane or also called the plasma membrane. All living
cells are surrounded by a membrane, which separates the stuff inside the cell (water,
nucleus, etc.) from the stuff outside the cell (water, other cells, nutrients, etc.) This
membrane decides what can enter the cell and what should stay outside. One way that it
prevents certain particles from entering is by having holes only large enough to allow small
particles to enter. It is therefore called a semipermeable membrane. An analogy could be
made to a basketball net. Only certain size balls will get through. That is, a tennis ball will
go through the hoop, a basketball will go through the hoop, but a big beach ball will not.
The same holds true with cell membranes. Many particles, such as sugars and salts that are
dissolved in the water surrounding the cell try to enter the cell, but they are too big and
therefore cannot pass through the membrane.
Egg-Speriment:
Materials:
 (3) 250 ml beakers or big clear cups
 1 egg (be careful handling the egg!)
 250 ml vinegar
 250 ml liquid or mixture of choice
 250 ml water approximately
 30 cm piece of string ruler paper and pencil to record observations
 Balance and mass set to record mass

Procedure:
Day One:
1. Record observations. Measure the circumference of the egg. Measure the
circumference of the egg by wrapping the string gently around the middle of the egg. Hold
your finger on the spot where the end of the string meets the rest of the string. Measure the
distance between the end of the string and your finger with the ruler. How does the egg
feel?
2. Find the mass of your egg.
3. Place egg into one of the beakers. (Be careful -- do not drop the egg in.)
4. Fill beaker with 200 ml of vinegar. The egg should be submerged.
5. Record observations immediately. What do you notice? How does the egg feel? What
does the egg look like?
6. Remember to record egg number. Your egg is egg number one. If something should
happen to your egg your experiment is now faulty because you are comparing data from
different eggs and we want to record the new egg’s number, which would be 2.
7. Each day we will do the same circumference and mass measurements for a control
egg. The control egg data will be posted on the board.
8. What is your hypothesis for what will happen to your egg as it soaks in vinegar
overnight? Describe what you think the egg will feel like (texture), look like, and smell
like. Also include in your hypothesis what you think will happen to the mass and
circumference of the egg.
Hypothesis:
I predict the egg socked in vinegar will be harden due to the acidic solution. It will smell
acidic, and I think the mass and circumference will not change dynamically overnight. The
egg that is soaked in tap water will remain the same with its smell and appearance since
the element within the tap water would not be affecting the egg yet, according to my
prediction. I think the egg filled in a beaker with glycerol would be still floating due to the
density of the solution and smaller in size and mass.

Day Two:
9. Record the mass and the circumference of your egg each day. Be sure to note how
the egg feels when you touch it each day. Don't squeeze too hard! It may seem disgusting to
touch, but it actually feels quite amazing! Remember when measuring mass that you need
to record the mass of whatever is holding your egg. It is a good idea to place your egg in an
empty petri dish or beaker when measuring mass so that it does not roll off the balance.
10. Record control egg data.
11. What is your hypothesis for what will happen to the egg over the next 24 hours?
Describe what you think the egg will feel like (texture), look like, and smell
like. Also include in your hypothesis what you think will happen to the mass and
circumference of the egg. Remember to be specific.
Hypothesis:
I think the egg with vinegar will harden and there will be an increase in the mass since the
egg is being harden. This will lead to firm texture. The egg with tap-water will remain the
same since it seems like the tap-water is not affecting the egg too much. The egg with
glycerol will also remain the same texture and smell.

Day Three:
12. Record observations. Record circumference and mass measurement. Once the shell
is removed on the third day (i.e. the egg is soft), gently rinse off the egg. Also record how
the egg feels at this point. Transfer the egg to a new beaker with water. Fill beaker with
200 ml of water.
13. Record control egg data.
14. What is your hypothesis for what will happen to the egg over the next 24 hours?
Describe what you think the egg will feel like (texture), look like, and smell
like. Also include in your hypothesis what you think will happen to the mass and
circumference of the egg. Remember to be specific.
Hypothesis:
I think the egg with vinegar will be harden and more naked. The egg shell of the egg will
be affected by the acidic solution and would be easy to peel off. The egg with tap-water
will feel the same as in texture and would smell the same. I predict that the egg will
increase in mass since the mass of the egg measured during day two increased. I think
the egg circumference would increase as well, although there was no change during the
transition of day one to day two. The egg inside the beaker wit glycerol will remain the
 same in mass and circumference and same texture and smell. I predict it will remain
with a hard and shiny surface.

Day Four:
15. Record observations. Measure circumference and mass.
16. Soak egg a substance of your choice. Be sure the egg is covered in your substance.
You will need at least 200 ml of the liquid of your choice.
The substance or liquid our group will use is glycerol.
17. Record control egg data.
18. What is your hypothesis for what will happen to the egg during the remainder of the
lab? Describe what you think the egg will feel like (texture), look like, and smell
like. Also include in your hypothesis what you think will happen to the mass and
circumference of the egg. Remember to be specific.
Hypothesis:
I think the egg with vinegar

Day Seven and Eight

19. Each day record observations for circumference and mass.
20. Record control egg data.
Hypothesis:
For Day Seven and Eight, I think the egg with vinegar would be naked and bouncy due
to the acidic solution affecting the shell of the egg. During the third day, the egg in the beaker
with vinegar already showed the change in appearance, so I predict that the egg will harden
more and would feel like a boiled egg. The egg with tap water would be increasing in size
since the observations showed that the egg is constantly increasing in circumference. It will
more circular than day four. The egg in the beaker filled with glycerol would have a shiny
and silky like egg shell due to the solution. It will still float and will decrease in mass since
the days before showed the egg weighing less.

Data/Results: CONTROL EGG DATA (Tap-Water)

Egg # Day Liquid Circumference Mass Texture Other

(grams) Observations
(millimeters)
Tap - 140mm 14.190 g Hard but When egg is
Water smooth added, water is
1 200ml surface not floated.
There seems no
reaction
involved.
Tap - 185ml 140 15.285 Hard but There is an
Water smooth increase in the
2 surface size of the mass
and the
circumference.
Tap - 150 146 15.130 Hard but There is a
Water smooth decrease in the
3 surface mass of the egg.

Tap - 125 143 15.425 Hard but The eggshell

Water smooth seemed to
4 surface crack a little.

Tap - 100 147 15.865 Could feel The eggshell is

Water the inside cracked and
7 of the egg. some of the
More white part of
fragile the egg have
leaked.
Tap- 95ml 149 15.780 The Decrease in
Water texture is mass, but
8 same as increase in the
day 7 circumference

Data/Results:Experimental Egg

Egg # Day Liquid Circumference Mass Texture Other

(grams) Observations
(millimeters)
A 140mm 13.385 Hard but When egg is
smooth added to the
Vinegar 1 200ml surface vinegar, the egg
is half way
floated.
B 140mm 15.070 Hard but When egg is
smooth added to the
Glycerol 200ml surface
 1 glycerol, the
egg is floated.

A 200ml 137 14.580 The egg It is in a white

become clear color. The
Vinegar 2 jelly like shell of the egg
texture. It seems to all be
is no melted by the
longer acid in the
hard and vinegar.
is very
smooth.
B 200ml 137 14.625 Slippery, There is a
smooth decrease in the
Glycerol 2 and silky size of the mass
and
circumference.
A 3 200ml 145 15.000 The eggis The egg is
still jelly completely
Vinegar 3 like peeled from
texture, the shell. The
but stiff yolk inside
and seems to
harder harden than
than day before.
2.
B 3 200ml 145 14.365 Slippery, There is a
smooth decrease in the
Glycerol and silky mass of the egg
A 115ml 145 15.305 Slippery, Less spread of
very soft, yolk
Vinegar 4 and no
bumps

B 4 150ml 144 14.180 Rough There is a small

surface crack seen in
Glycerol and silky the egg
A 100ml 147 15.945 Firmer, Yolk of the egg
slippery can be seen.
Vinegar 7 surface,
very soft
and
bumps
B 7 145 145 15.905 Rough There is an
surface increase in
Glycerol and silky both mass and
circumference.
A 95 146 15.890 The There is a
surface decrease in
Vinegar 8 harder mass and
and circumference
firmer of the egg. The
than day egg is clearer
7. and you could
see through the
inside of the
egg.
B 8 125ml 143 16.100 Rough There is an
surface increase in the
Glycerol and silky circumference
of the egg, a
decrease in the
mass

Conclusion:
1. Why did we remove the eggshell first?

So we can have the white selectively permeable membrane.

2. What happened to the egg when it was placed in vinegar? Explain why this
happened or what process occurred?

It started to turn paler in color, and its skin peeled off few days after. Its surface gets
harder. The calcium carbonate shell will react with the acetic acid (vinegar) and releases
carbon dioxide gas. As a result, the circumference of the egg increase.

3. What do you think would happen if you placed the egg in syrup? Explain your
answer.
Egg would have a smaller circumference. Syrup has bigger molecules. When you put a
naked egg in the syrup, the egg membrane would separate two solutions with different
concentrations of water. The egg white is 90% water, and syrup is about 25% water. Thus,
the egg would try to equalize the concentration of water in and out of the egg.

4. How did your egg’s appearance change over the past week? (color, texture etc.)
Written above.
5. How did your egg’s mass and circumference change when placed in the liquid or
substance of your choice? What process occurred?
Written above.
6. If you placed an indoor plant in a high concentration of salt water, what would
happen? Why?

Due to the high concentration of salt, the plant would die. The plant soil outside of the plant
cells causes water to move outside of the cells to try to equalize the concentration. This
process of osmosis would lead for the root cells die. This might lead to the death of the plant.

7. Were your hypotheses correct for how the egg would change over the course of the
experiment? Use data from the experiment to support your answer.
Yes. There were changes in the mass and circumference.
8. Draw a graph of your results (time on the x axis and circumference or mass on the y
axis).

9. Red blood cells (RBCs) are good examples to use for an osmosis experiment because
their shape changes dramatically when they are exposed to hypotonic or hypertonic
solutions. Their normal shape is a round biconcave disk with a smooth plasma
membrane. Under the microscope, they look two-toned, with the center being lighter
because of the concavity and thinness of the center. If the cell loses most of its water by
osmosis when put in a hypertonic solution, it becomes cremated or shriveled with
spiked edges. If the cell gains a significant amount of water by being placed in a
hypotonic solution, it swells and may eventually burst – a process called hemolysis
(hemo- = blood; -lysis = break down).

The red blood cells labeled A are normal cells. Label the B and C cells as either being
in hypertonic or hypotonic solutions.
B-hypotonic
C-hypertonic

from ourse1.winona.edu/mgarbrecht/Membrane%20Lab.pdf
Egg-Citing Egg-Speriment Rubric
Page Break

Points
Day One: 2 points
Questions 5 and hypothesis are complete, thoughtful and legible
Day Two: 1 point
Hypothesis is thoughtful and legible

Day Three: 1 point

Hypothesis is thoughtful and legible

Day Four:
Substance 3 points
 recorded on lab sheet
 appropriate
 correct quantity (at least 200 ml)
 brought to class on time
Hypothesis is thoughtful and legible3 points
Control Data
 thorough
 legible
 labeled
Experimental Egg Data3 points
 thorough
 legible
 labeled
Conclusion Questions 16 points
Graph (labeled, titled, and neatly drawn)5 points