How does temperature affect the permeability of a cell membrane in a beetroot.

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How does temperature affect the permeability of a cell membrane in a beetroot.

Introduction:

The purpose of the cell membrane is to control the transport of substances moving into and out of the cell. It is made of a phospholipid bilayer that has proteins floating in it. The proteins span the membrane and touch both the inside and outside of the cell. The cell membrane is between 6-8 nanometers (nm) thick and made up of many different molecules. These are shown in the diagram below.

The phospholipid bilayer is the basic structure of the membrane. The fatty acid tails are non-polar; this means it is difficult for polar molecules or ions to pass through them as they act as a barrier to most water-soluble substances. The molecules move in and out of the cell through diffusion, osmosis and active transport. Diffusion is the net movement of molecules from a high concentration to a low concentration.

In the cells of a beetroot plant a substance called anthocyanin is contained in the plasma membrane. The anthocyanin gives the beetroot its purple appearance. If the cell membrane becomes damaged then the anthocyanin "bleeds" from the cell like