Biology Lab

26 Jun Biology Lab

Question
Experiment

CELL STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION: CELL TYPES AND
TRANSPORT

Cell Structure and Function: Cell
Types and
Transpo
rt
Margaret Vorndam, M.S. Version 42-003700-01

LAB REPORT ASSISTANT
This document is not meant to be a substitute for a formal laboratory report. The Lab
Report Assistant is simply a summary of the experiments questions, diagrams if
needed, and data tables that should be addressed in a formal lab report. The intent is to
facilitate students writing of lab reports by providing this information in an editable file
which can be sent to an instructor.

OBSERVATIONS

Data Table 1: Cell
Eukaryotic Cell Structure
Structures

Prokaryote Cell Structure

Organism name:

Organism name:

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Experiment
Flagella

CELL STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION: CELL TYPES AND
TRANSPORT

Cell wall

Pseudopodia

Cell membrane

Capsule or slime layer

Nucleus

Cytoplasm

Nucleoid Plasma membrane

Contractile vacuole

Cytoplasm Ribosome Thylakoid

vacuole Endospore

Food

Endospore

www.L abPaq.co

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Experiment

CELL STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION: CELL TYPES AND
TRANSPORT

Data Table 2: Diffusion Rate Comparison

Medium

Beginning
Time, To

Length of Time
in hours
End Time, T
1

= T1 To

Movement
of color
in mm

Semisolid
(Gelatin)
Liquid (Water)

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Rate of
Diffusion
In mm/
hour

Experiment

CELL STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION: CELL TYPES AND
TRANSPORT

Data Table 3: Diffusion through a Differentially Permeable
Membrane of Exercise
At Beginning
.. At End of Exercise ..
What are its
Contents?

What it
its
initial

What
is its
final

Dialysis
Tubing

Benedicts
Test Color
NA

Beaker Water

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What are its
final
contents?

Experiment

CELL STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION: CELL TYPES AND
TRANSPORT

Exercise 1: Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes Differences in Cell Structure and Function
RESULTS
1. What differences are observed between the two cells that were drawn?

2. List the specific cell part that each cell type possesses to:
Prokaryote
Escape from hazardous
conditions?

Regulate water content?
Store food?
Reproduce?

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Eukaryot
e

Experiment

CELL STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION: CELL TYPES AND
TRANSPORT

QUESTIONS
A. With which cell type, prokaryote or eukaryote, are you most
familiar?

B.
Which cell type would be most successful in extreme
environments? Why?

C. Because the Prokaryote bacteria are generally 3 µm or less in length they may not
exhibit specific structures under a compound light microscope. What type of microscope
would be a better choice for viewing bacteria?

D. Research amoebas online and give a few examples including where they are found
and what energy source they use.

E. Discuss whether cyanobacteria and amoebas are beneficial or detrimental to
humans and to the environment in general.

Exercise 2:
Animal Cell
Structure
Function

Eukaryotes

Plant

and

RESULTS
1. What differences are observed between the two cells that were
drawn?

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and

Experiment

CELL STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION: CELL TYPES AND
TRANSPORT

2. List the cell part that each cell type possesses to:
Plant

Animal

Regulate
water
content?
Produce energy to
power cell
function?
Store food?
Reproduce?

QUESTIONS
A. With which cell type, plant or animal, are you most familiar?

B. Which cell type would be most successful in extreme environments? Why?

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Experiment

CELL STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION: CELL TYPES AND
TRANSPORT

C. Outline the general differences between plant and animal cells in Table 1. Then
outline the similarities.
Table 1: Comparison of Structure and Function: Animal and Plant Cells
Animal
Cells

Differences
:

Plant
Cells

Similarities
:

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Experiment

CELL STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION: CELL TYPES AND
TRANSPORT

Exercise
3:
Transport
of
Materials
through Cell
Membranes An Example of Passive
Transport
QUESTIONS
A. Which medium exhibited the fastest rate of
diffusion?

B. What might be reasons to explain the differences in the rate of
diffusion?

C. Graph the two sets of results from Table 2 on the same graph using a computer
spreadsheet program and include this graph in your report. Why is simultaneous
graphing of the results useful here? What type of graph would best demonstrate rates of
diffusion in gelatin versus liquid? Hint: The graph should show a continuity from To to T1
for both mediums.

DISCUSSION
A. Were your two hypotheses supported or
refuted?

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Experiment

CELL STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION: CELL TYPES AND
TRANSPORT

B. How might the rate of diffusion be increased? Decreased?

C. How might this be tested?

D. Why is this exercise be an example of passive transport?

E. Why must the spread of the coloring in the gelatin be monitored? For example, why
cant it just be left for 10 hours before the measurement is taken?

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Experiment

CELL STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION: CELL TYPES AND
TRANSPORT

F. What would be a graphic method to detect when the rate of diffusion in the gelatin
was at maximum and was beginning to slow?

G. Construct a table that compares your results to the average of your classmates
results, if available. Indicate how many classmates results are represented in the
average (N=?). Include it in your report. Are results similar? If not, what might explain the
differences in outcomes?

Exercise
4:
Transport
of
Materials
through Cell
Membranes An Example of Active
Transport
QUESTIONS
A.
What
substances?

are

the

test

B. Why did a color change occur in the jar water? What does the color change
indicate?

C. Why did a color change occur in the dialysis bag? What does the color change
indicate?

D. What does the Benedicts reagent test detect? What does the test of the jar water
indicate? E. What DID NOT diffuse across the dialysis bag membrane? Why?

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Experiment

CELL STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION: CELL TYPES AND
TRANSPORT

DISCUSSION
A. Was your hypothesis supported or refuted?

B. How might the dialysis membrane tubing be similar to a plasma membrane?

C. What type of transport mechanism does this exercise simulate?

D. What can be concluded from this exercise?

LABO RATORY SUMMARY
What have you learned from doing this laboratory?

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