TEST FOR DIFFUSION AND OSMOSIS BY USE OF SELECTIVELY PERMEABLE MEMBRANE AND FOOD NUTRIENT ANALYSIS

Introduction

It is possible to test the movement of different materials such as water and other molecules by the use of semi-permeable membrane. Transportation of water and other nutrients in human bodies takes place through osmosis and diffusion, respectively. Movement of water from the high potential zone to the low potential region refers to as osmosis. In contrast, the flow of particles from a highly concentrated part to little concentrated part is referred to as diffusion. The purpose of the experiment is to show how easily the different nutrients diffuse through a membrane while detecting the size independent diffusion.

Part 1: osmosis and diffusion

             A good example of diffusion which is observable when one drops a tea bag on a cup of hot water. The water eventually changes its color due to the fact that the tea bag acts like a semi permeable membrane and allows the particles inside the tea bag to move to the low concentrated part. A good example of osmosis is when plant roots absorbs water from the ground through the roots and transmits it to the other part of the plant (Soodak, and Iberall 116). The major differences between diffusion and osmosis is, in diffusion the solvent and solute particles move freely while in osmosis only the solvent molecules move. Osmosis can only occur in presence of semi permeable membrane while diffusion can occur without the presence of a membrane. Osmosis is the movement of water particles while diffusion is the movement of any particles from the area of low concentration to area of low concentration.

Objective

The purpose of the experiment is to show how easily the different nutrients diffuse through a membrane while detecting the size independent diffusion.

Hypothesis

Pure water will test negative for glucose when a testing strip is dropped into the water. Starch and glucose when put on the same membrane and placed in water, glucose diffuses due to its small particles through the membrane and water particles goes through the membrane through osmosis.

Reference

Soodak, H., and A. Iberall. “Forum on osmosis. IV. More on osmosis and diffusion.” American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology 237.3 (1979): R114-R122.

  Part 2: food nutrient analysis

Essential nutrients and their purposes

The essential nutrients in human body include water, minerals, vitamins, proteins, fats and carbohydrates. The nutrients above are very essential for body fitness and are recommended for human dietary (Nielsen, Suzanne, 16).

Proteins

They are needed in large amounts in human bodies and are essential for muscle development, bones, skin and hair. Proteins also form hormones and antibodies among other substances in our body and act as fuel for the cells and tissues.

Carbohydrates

They are macronutrients and provide energy to our bodies thus sparing proteins for provision of energy to our bodies. They also serve as flavors and recognition of the biological processes within the body of human beings.

Vitamins

Vitamins are micronutrients which are essential for boosting the immune system of an individual and prevent certain diseases. Vitamins support blood health and help to metabolize proteins in our bodies. They also keep our teeth strong and aids absorption of calcium to our bodies.

Minerals

Major minerals include calcium, magnesium phosphorus and potassium which serves in keeping the water balances, maintaining healthy skin and improvement of bone health.

Water

Water is very essential to our bodies as human body is mainly made of water and failure to consume water for even a day may lead to dehydration. Water flush toxins in our bodies, absorbs shock, transport nutrients and serve as lubricants in our bodies.

Fats

Fats in our bodies support growth of the cells, gives energy to the body and also provide heat to the body thus keeping it warm.

Objective of lab test two

The purpose of the experiment is to test presence of different food nutrients which include simple sugars, starch, proteins and lipids in unknown substance.

Hypothesis

A change in of the solution with copper II ions color from pale blue to yellow will indicate presence of simple sugars in the unknown substance. Change of the color of the iodine solution from red brown to blue black will indicate presence of starch in the substance. Change of the color from pale blue to pink will indicate the presence of protein in the substance. The control experiment will show the present of the tested nutrient for all the tests which will be carried out.

Results

Part 1– Osmosis and Diffusion

1. After testing the water for the first time, the color of the Glucose Testing Strip is YELLOW Is glucose present? NO.
2. After observing the membrane in the cup of water containing the Lugol’s Solution for 30 minutes, what changes do you notice?

Inside the membrane: THE COLOR TURNED BLUE BLACK

to the water in the cup: THE LEVEL OF THE WATER REDUCED

3. Did iodine diffuse into the membrane from the contents of the cup? YES
4. How do you know? BLUE BLACK COLOR WICH WAS OBSERVABLE
5. Did the starch diffuse into the contents of the cup from the membrane? NO
6. How do you know? BLUE BLACK COLOR WAS ABSENT
7. Did the glucose diffuse into the contents of the cup from the membrane? YES
8. How do you know? THE STRIP TURNED GREEN
9. Did any water diffuse through the membrane? YES.

What is this process called? OSMOSIS

10. How do you know? THE LEVEL OF THE WATER IN THE CUP REDUCED
11. List ALL the material(s) that diffused through the membrane?

• GLUCOSE
• WATER

12. List the material(s) that did not diffuse through the membrane

• STARCH

13. When you think about macronutrient digestion, state which properties allow some materials to pass through the membrane, while others do not. Be specific

• SIZE OF THE PERTICLES OF THE MATERIAL
• CONCENTRATION OF THE PARTICLES OF THE MATERIAL INSIDE THE CELL

Part 2: Food Nutrient Analysis

1. Simple Sugars:

2. Carbohydrates:

3. Proteins:

4. Lipids _

CONCLUSIONS

1. The unknown contains the following nutrient (Hint: there is only one):

Carbohydrates

2. We know some of the test tubes will or will not react. These are called the

Control

3. There is one test tube we test in order to find out its contents. This one is called a variable

4. What is the purpose of using the known test tubes? Please explain in detail.

The purpose of using the known test tubes is to compare them with the unknown to find out what it might be. The reason for having a control group (known test tube) and a variable (unknown test tube) is to see what it looks like when the nutrient is added. With using three test tubes you can determine if the unknown had the nutrient in it or not.

Reference

Nielsen, S. Suzanne. “Introduction to food analysis.” Food analysis. Springer, Cham, 2017. 3-16.

ILLUSTRATION

Discussion questions

Question 1

The results obtained on the first part show a relationship with the concept of osmosis and diffusion in that water from the cup moved to the area of high potential and entered the membrane. Glucose diffused through the membrane to the water in the cup and the result for glucose was positive after the experiment. The hypothesis rhymes with the results of the experiment as both osmosis and diffusion were observed.

Question 2

The unknown contained carbohydrates as it showed a positive result for carbohydrates after the test. Determination of the composition was not very difficult due to the control of the experiment thus comparison of the results was easy. The results obtained were familiar as indicated on the hypothesis that change of the color of the testing solution from red brown to black blue will show a positive result for starch.

Question 3

– Include at least one reference and in text citations for question #1 and #3

DIGESTION OF FATS

Digestion of fats starts from the mouth as the lipids encounter saliva where it is emulsified by lingual lipase to prepare it for the enzyme actions. Lingual lipase is responsible for the breakdown of triglycerides to triglycerides and fatty acids in the mouth. The action leads to initiation of the digestion process as the lipids become more accessible by the digestive enzymes. From the mouth digestion of the fats continue in the stomach (Amha, M., et al. 279). The hydrochloric acid encourages bile and pancreatic enzymes to digest the food and it also provides conducive environment for enzyme action.

In the stomach the fats mixes with the gastric juice which contain enzymes such as pepsin, protease and gastric lipase. Gastric lipase is responsible for the breakdown of triglycerides to diglycerides and fatty acids in the food and the digestion moves on to the duodenum. In the duodenum, bile juice which is produced by the liver contains salts which leads to the emulsification and allow them to dissolve in the chime as micelles thus increasing their surface area for pancreatic lipase which is produced by the pancreas to operate. Bile juice is produced in the liver and is stored by gall bladder which releases it to the duodenum for the digestive purposes.

Absorption of digested fat components into the blood stream occurs inside the small intestines through the membrane of Enterocyte cells through diffusion and specific fatty acid transporters. The products of fat digestion which include two monoglycerides and fatty acids are absorbable by the small intestines.  The two monoglycerides are absorbed through simple diffusion while the fatty acids are absorbed through fatty acid transporter protein which is found in the membrane. Cholesterol is also absorbed in the small intestines through specific transport protein (NPC1L1) from lumen of the intestine to enterocyte.

REFERENCES:

Soodak, H., and A. Iberall. “Forum on osmosis. IV. More on osmosis and diffusion.” American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology 237.3 (1979): R114-R122.

Amha, Yamrot M., et al. “Elucidating microbial community adaptation to anaerobic co-digestion of fats, oils, and grease and food waste.” Water research 123 (2017): 277-289.

Nielsen, S. Suzanne. “Introduction to food analysis.” Food analysis. Springer, Cham, 2017. 3-16.