The Effect of Temperature on a Plasma Membrane

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The Effect of Temperature on a Plasma Membrane

effecyThe Effect Of Temperature On A Plasma Membrane

Aim:

This experiment aims to determine what effect an increase in the surrounding temperature has on the plasma membrane of a typical plant cell structure.

Hypothesis:

An increase in temperature will damage and denature the plasma membrane and cause the cytoplasm and other substances contained within the membrane to leak out.

Introduction:

The purpose of a cell membrane is to control the transport of substances moving into and out of a cell. The membrane is an extremely thin layer (8 to 10 manometers (nm)) thick, which is partially permeable. It consists mostly of lipids and proteins. The lipids found in cell membranes belong to a class known as triglycerides, so called because they have one molecule of glycerol chemically linked to three molecules of fatty acids. The majority belong to one subgroup of triglycerides known as phospholipids.

Despite their many differences in appearance and function, all cells have a surrounding membrane (called the plasma membrane) enclosing a water-rich substance called the cytoplasm. All cells host a variety of chemical reactions that enable them to