Surface Area

International Baccalaureate Biology

Data

Class Data

Time to Diffuse

Custom Shape

T-Test

Class Data

Time to Diffuse

y = -332.72*x + 3538.74

Custom Shape

y = -53.1*x + 1582.66

Based on the class data the 2x2 cell size took the longest to diffuse, then the 1x8 and last the 1x1.

Conclusion

Based on my overall data the cell size of 1x1 had the fastest diffusion rate. From the mean the 1x1 had the lowest of 1448.67 seconds to finish diffusion and has the lowest of 315.24 deviations from the average mean concluding that small cells to fast diffusion. From the time to diffuse graph the 2x2 cell took the longest to diffuse. Its shape was of a square making the diffusion take long to get to the center of the agar. The 1x8 cell was not evenly distributed so the diffusion could take place quicker than the 2x2 cell since its surface area was larger. From the T-Test both of the tests show a 95% significant difference. I can conclude from this that surface area and volume ratio has a lot to do with diffusion time. Results obtained from a TI- 83 Calculator.

The relationship between cell volume and diffusion time is that the smaller the volume of the cell the faster the diffusion time will be. The cell with the smallest volume will have the fastest diffusion rate because the diffusion can cover that cell at a high speed because the volume is low. If the volume of the cell was large diffusion might not be able to finish and the cell will die because the overall time to diffuse the whole cell takes too long.

Cells can’t get really big because contact with the surroundings is essential ...

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Cells can’t get really big because contact with the surroundings is essential for the cell to perform its functions. This is where diffusion and active transport occur to bring in nutrients and other important molecules as well as excretion of waste. If a cell gets to big it will die. The speed a cell can absorb things is related to how much surface area it has. The amount of cell that must be fed is determined by its volume. If the volume gets too big, and the surface area doesn't keep up, the cell will starve because it won't be able to get enough nutrition to feed all of itself. That’s why the 2x2 cell took the longest to diffuse because of its surface to volume ratio.

Cells can be modified because they are flexible and the cytoskeleton. The cytoskeleton gives the cell its shape, help it move more vital substance around, and it gives the cell movement. Since the cell can be modified like this diffusion can occur at a faster rate and the cell won’t die.

Team 4 won the race because basically every other team had a shape where diffusion took long to get to the middle of the agar. Shapes with a larger volume take longer to diffuse. Other teams used those kinds of shapes with similar properties like the square, pentagon, and hexagon. The swastika had a unique shape than all the other teams. So its surface area to volume ratio made the swastika shape have the quickest diffusion time.

Food is diffused in normal cells along with water and nutrients that need to get to the rest of the organelles. Nitrogenous wastes are also diffused in cells.

To further my investigation the class should diffuses three different cell sizes on their own then get together with the class and compares the results. A whole new experiment should be down with those results to further back up my data. This would be good to have a wide range of cells to have a result. A different cell should be used with agar to compare the diffusion times based on the surface area to volume ratio. There should also be a wider range of surface area to volume to ratio cells.