Beetroot experiment
The effect of alcohol concentration on the cell membrane
Abstract:
In this experiment I found out that as the concentration of the alcohol was increased so did the colour intensity of the solution. This is because the higher concentration of ethanol, results in more damage done to the cell membrane, resulting in leakage of red pigment from the cell. If the membrane is damaged more, more red pigment will leak out of the membrane and into the ethanol.
Hypothesis:
The higher the concentration of ethanol the more permeable the cell membrane will become.
Introduction:
The cell membrane is a thin semi permeable membrane which surrounds the cytoplasm of the cell. The cell membrane controls whatever enters and leaves the cell. All animal and plant cells have cell membranes. Phospholipids- This is the major component to the membrane. Hydrophobic tails and hydrophilic heads will automatically form a bilayer. This ensures that the tails stay in the centre where they are not in contact with water and that the heads are in contact with water. This bilayer results in polar substances being able to diffuse through the membrane similarly like small non-polar molecules (oxygen) also diffusing through the membrane. Cholesterol- The main function cholesterol performs is providing stability for the membrane therefore making it less fluid. It is a type of lipid and fits in between the phospholipids causing them to pack tightly together. Proteins- Proteins control whatever enters and leaves the cell. Carrier proteins allow certain substances into the cell. Proteins also act as receptors for hormones in cell signalling. Glycopids & Glycoprotein’s- these stabilise the proteins and act as receptors for messenger molecules in cell signalling.
This structure can be affected by alcohol as it isn’t a polar molecule so the phospholipids would not form a bilayer. Also a high temperature would denature the proteins because they are made up of amino acids.
Equipment:
8
Abstract:
In this experiment I found out that as the concentration of the alcohol was increased so did the colour intensity of the solution. This is because the higher concentration of ethanol, results in more damage done to the cell membrane, resulting in leakage of red pigment from the cell. If the membrane is damaged more, more red pigment will leak out of the membrane and into the ethanol.
Hypothesis:
The higher the concentration of ethanol the more permeable the cell membrane will become.
Introduction:
The cell membrane is a thin semi permeable membrane which surrounds the cytoplasm of the cell. The cell membrane controls whatever enters and leaves the cell. All animal and plant cells have cell membranes. Phospholipids- This is the major component to the membrane. Hydrophobic tails and hydrophilic heads will automatically form a bilayer. This ensures that the tails stay in the centre where they are not in contact with water and that the heads are in contact with water. This bilayer results in polar substances being able to diffuse through the membrane similarly like small non-polar molecules (oxygen) also diffusing through the membrane. Cholesterol- The main function cholesterol performs is providing stability for the membrane therefore making it less fluid. It is a type of lipid and fits in between the phospholipids causing them to pack tightly together. Proteins- Proteins control whatever enters and leaves the cell. Carrier proteins allow certain substances into the cell. Proteins also act as receptors for hormones in cell signalling. Glycopids & Glycoprotein’s- these stabilise the proteins and act as receptors for messenger molecules in cell signalling.
This structure can be affected by alcohol as it isn’t a polar molecule so the phospholipids would not form a bilayer. Also a high temperature would denature the proteins because they are made up of amino acids.
Equipment:
8