Question

additional background: for a plant to perform photosynthesis it requires sunlight, carbon... plant’s roots. carbon dioxide moves into a plant from an area of high concentration (the atmosphere) to low concentration (the leaves’... small enough to directly pass through the plant cell’s membrane. use the model to the right to answer the questions below.

apply your knowledge

q1: the movement of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into a plant cell is an example of what type of transport; passive or active?

q2: based on the information above, does the diffusion of co₂ require a transport protein? what type of diffusion is this, simple diffusion or facilitated diffusion?

turgor pressure - refers to the force exerted by water as the central vacuole expands and pushes the cell membrane against the cell wall. use the picture to the right to answer the questions below.

q3: describe the movement of water (osmosis) in a plasmolysed plant cell. what type of solution was the plant likely placed in? (hyper- hypo- or isotonic?)

q4: describe the movement of water (osmosis) in a turgid plant cell. what type of solution was the plant likely placed in? (hyper- hypo- or isotonic?)

q5: critical thinking - do plants prefer to be turgid or flaccid? think about what organelles and structures plant cells have that allow them to thrive in this environment.

Explanation:

Let's solve Q1 first:

Step1: Recall transport types

Passive transport moves substances from high to low concentration (down gradient) without energy. Active transport uses energy, moves against gradient.

Step2: Analyze CO₂ movement

CO₂ moves from atmosphere (high) to plant cell (low) concentration, so it's passive transport (e.g., simple diffusion of gases across cell membrane).

Step1: Recall diffusion types

Simple diffusion: small, non - polar molecules (like gases) move across membrane without protein. Facilitated diffusion: needs transport protein (for polar/large molecules).

Step2: Analyze CO₂ diffusion

CO₂ is a small, non - polar gas. It diffuses across the plant cell membrane without a transport protein, so it's simple diffusion.

Step1: Recall plasmolysed cell definition

A plasmolysed plant cell has the cell membrane pulled away from the cell wall, which happens when water leaves the cell.

Step2: Determine solution type

Water leaves the cell when the cell is in a hypertonic solution (solution has higher solute concentration than the cell, so water moves out via osmosis). So water moves out of the plasmolysed cell (osmosis: water from low solute concentration in cell to high solute concentration in surrounding solution). The plant is in a hypertonic solution.

Answer:

The movement of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into a plant cell is an example of passive transport (specifically simple diffusion, as CO₂ moves down its concentration gradient without needing a transport protein or energy).

For Q2: