Investigating permeability

• What can be investigated in a lab?

  The permeability of the cell membrane
• give 2 things that the permeability of cell membranes is affected by?


  temperature

  solvent concentration
• what does increasing the temp increase?

  membrane permeability
• what increases membrane permeability?

  increasing the temp
• How can you investigate the effect of solvents on the permeability of the cell membranes?


  surrounding cells in an increasing conc of a solvent (eg ALCOHOL) (EG ACETONE)increases membrane permeability because the solvent dissolves the lipids in the cell membrane, causing it to lose its structure
• Why does surrounding cells in an increasing concentration of a solvent eg alcohol or aceton increase membrane permeability?

  because the solvent dissolves the lipids in the cell membrane, causing it to lose its structure