Want a Clear Understanding of the Concept of Diffusion?

Ever wondered how the tea infuses into your cup of hot water from the tea bag? The answer is diffusion. If you look around, you can see how ubiquitous diffusion is in our day to day lives. From the sugar that you stir into your cappuccino to the spray of perfume that spreads through the room – everything is a result of diffusion. But how do you define the biological process? Let us dig a little deeper.

What is Diffusion and What are its Kinds?

Scientifically speaking, the movement of particles from places of high concentration to places of low concentration is known as diffusion. It generally occurs when molecules and ions enter and leave a place through semi-permeable surfaces that allow only certain things to pass through it. The process stops only when the particles are distributed evenly, and the concentration is equal throughout the substance.

Types of Diffusion

There are three types of diffusion. Here is everything that you need to know about them.

• PASSIVE DIFFUSION

Passive diffusion is the movement of substances across a semi-permeable membrane without the help of cellular energy. The process is natural in organisms and does not involve any protein channels. Based on the principle of diffusion, substances tend to move from a higher concentration to a lower one naturally. The process is spontaneous, and the dissipation of the materials depends on the permeability of the membrane which they pass through.

In the case of plants, the cell wall of plants is mucDiffusion Examples: How does it take place in living organisms?h thicker. This makes the permeability rate of plant cells lower than most molecules. This is where water comes in to give the extra push. Since water can easily move through most cell membranes, diffusion in plants (or most cellular processes, for that matter) can be made possible with water.

In humans, the cell membranes are made of a phospholipid bilayer. The middle layer is a non-polar hydrophobic layer that lets water permeate through without absorbing much of it while the sides of a cell membrane are made up of polar hydrophilic surfaces. This is why the hydrophobic molecules of gases like oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen pass freely through the cell membrane.

• FACILITATED DIFFUSION

The difference between facilitated and passive diffusion is that the former requires the help of a protein unlike the latter. Also known as carrier-mediated diffusion, this process helps larger molecules move along the cell membrane with an additional push of cellular energy.

Two types of proteins are responsible for facilitated diffusion. They are channel proteins and carrier proteins. Channel proteins create a hole or a channel across a cell membrane, thus assisting the molecules in flowing through them. However, carrier proteins act as the transporting vehicle that shuttles ions from one side of a membrane to the other.

Diffusion Examples: How does it take place in living organisms?

In both animals and plants, molecules of glucose cannot go through the pores of the cell membrane and diffuse properly. That is why the molecules attach itself to a carrier protein that carries the glucose through the cell membrane and out of the cell.

Click here to view a well-researched sample on the types of cellular diffusion.

• ACTIVE TRANSPORT 

Active diffusion involves substances moving across the cell membrane. But instead of going to the area with low concentration, the diffusion in cells occurs in an area where there is a higher concentration. There are two types of active diffusion namely primary and secondary active transport.

Diffusion Examples: How does it take place in living organisms?

Primary active transport uses metabolic energy to transport molecules across a cell membrane. Secondary active transport uses energy to move molecules, but it doesn't do it with adenosine triphosphate. Instead, it creates entropy and pumping ions in the cell, which act as an electrochemical booster.

Understanding the Concept of Diffusion and How IT Operates

We already know that diffusion occurs when molecules spread out in an available space. But what causes diffusion? There are several factors that determine how and where diffusion will take place. Here is a list of determinants on which the rate of diffusion depends.

• Temperature

With an increase in temperature, the kinetic energy of particles increases, leading to increased velocity. The increased velocity creates a higher chance of collision between particles, thus quickening the rate of diffusion. This is why the aroma of hot food circulates faster than that of cold food.

• Density of the substance

If the density of the substances is high, then the greater number of particles leads to a better chance of collision. And as we know, higher the rate of collisions, the more is the rate of diffusion. 

• Medium of diffusion

Diffusion also depends upon the medium in which it takes place. The particles within the medium tend to act as a barrier to diffusion. Therefore, the more the density of the particles within the medium, the lower is the rate of diffusion.

• Concentration Gradient

The concentration gradient of a substance is the number of solute molecules that can be found in a given volume. If the concentration gradient has a significant difference in the concentration over a unit length, then there is a higher probability of molecular collisions.

Few Examples of Diffusion

Here are some diffusion examples that we experience in our day to day lives.

• When you spray a room freshener in one part of a room, it diffuses in the air present in the room. This is why you can smell it everywhere.
• When you add a drop of food colour to a glass of water, it diffuses throughout the water, leaving the entire glass coloured.
• When you stir salt into water, the salt ions move until they are evenly distributed in the water through the process of diffusion.
• When you light an incense stick, the smoke spreads to all parts of a room, thus spreading the smell.
• When you pour soda into a glass, the carbon dioxide bubbles diffuse from the surface into the air leaving it flat.
• When you boil noodles, the water diffuses into the noodles making them fatter and softer.
• If you place a sugar cube in water, it dissolves and sweetens the water evenly without having to stir it.

Importance of Diffusion in Living Organisms

Can you imagine what could have happened if the heat within your body stayed trapped? Diffusion makes our body lose body heat through perspiration. It also helps cells exchange toxic gases for life-promoting gases. Our nerve cells also send electrical signals to other cells through diffusion. Here is why diffusion is essential in living beings.

In animals:

For Respiration - Oxygen and glucose react with each other to form carbon dioxide and water along with ATP. This is how our body uses up the glucose and turns it into energy and transfers carbon dioxide out of the body as a waste product.

In Plants:

For mineral uptake – Plants take up useful minerals and ions from the soil via their root hair cells. These cells are generally spread out over a large surface area for a better rate of diffusion. Therefore, the useful molecules in the soil move into the roots, thus aiding in the growth and survival of plants.

Check this sample for a better understanding of the importance of diffusion.

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