Permeability of Beetroot Cell Membranes

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Permeability of Beetroot Cell Membranes

An experiment to investigate how temperature affects the

Permeability of beetroot cell membranes

Interpretation of Results:

0°C

20°C

30°C

40°C

55°C

0.24

0.28

0.75

0.79

0.22

0.26

0.35

0.41

0.81

From 0°C to 30°C there is a gradual increase of absorbency which shows

that as the temperature increases it is denaturing the cell wall and

cell membrane and allowing the beetroot pigment to leek out into the

distilled water.

As soon as the sample of beetroot is placed into the distilled water

diffusion occurs naturally, which is the net movement of molecules

from a region of high concentration (beetroot sample) to a region of

low concentration (distilled water).

From 40°C upwards there is a sudden increase of absorbency, this is

because the optimum temperature of which enzymes and cells can work at

is 37°C and as soon as you go above this temperature it will cause the

enzymes and cells to denature and cease from working as effectively.

Even if you then lower the temperature again the cell will not regain

its original shape.

Within the phospholipid bi-layer there are proteins, and these

proteins are made up of polypeptide chains which are joined together

by hydrogen, hydrophobic and peptide bonds. Once the temperature has

increased above 40°C the molecules vibrate so energetically that these

bonds break easily and therefore creating holes within the cell wall

and phospholipid bi-layer, and al...

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