NANSLO Remote Lab Activity: Membrane Diffusion

This NANSLO lab activity is self-contained and can be used in first semester general biology with lab and survey of biology courses. In this activity, a semi-permeable membrane separates a starch and iodine solution. As diffusion occurs, iodine and starch will form dark pigments which will be detected using a spectrometer. The lab activity includes background information on why some molecules can pass through a membrane as a result of diffusion, relates the concept of concentration gradients to molecular movement, explains the basics of spectrophotometry and what is measured in a spectrophotometer, explains how temperature impacts molecular movement and includes the collection of data on rate of diffusion based on temperature and graphing of the data collected, and determines the effect of temperature on diffusion rate of iodine through a dialysis tube membrane. The lab activity includes pre-lab questions, lab exercises, and summary questions.
Date:
2014-07
Primary Material Type:
Assignment
Institution:
Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education
Funding Source:
TAACCCT Round 2
Subjects:
NANSLO Remote Lab Activity: Membrane Diffusion, describes membrane diffusion, the concept of concentration gradients to molecular movement, and uses a spectropphotometer to collect data on the impact of molecular movement based on temperature, and the affect of certain variables on them, look at the effects of temperature change on enzyme activity and describes how to collect and graph quantitative data, effect of temperature on diffusion rate of iodine through a dialysis tube membrane, laboratory exercises

Industry / Occupation

Industry Partner:
Health Care
Industry Sector:
Health Care and Social Assistance (62)
Occupation:
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations (29-0000)

Education / Instructional Information

Instructional Program:
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences (51)
Credit Type:
  • Credit
Credential Type:
  • Associate Degree
  • Bachelors Degree
Educational Level of Materials:
  • 1st year Community College or equivalent
Time Required:
2 Hrs connected to laboratory through the Internet plus pre-lab and post-lab work
Language:
English (United States)
Interactivity Type:
Active - requires user to respond to prompts, questions, etc.
Quality Note:
Curriculum expert in this discipline worked with Discipline Panel of faculty to define learning objectives needed for this lab activity. During development, teleconferences were held to discuss lab activity being developed. Draft activity was posted to listserv for review by Discipline Panel and other faculty in that discipline. Based on feedback, lab activity was modified prior to posting as final. Experts in remote web-based science labs who are also science faculty worked together to define the web-enabled interface design used by students to perform the lab activity via the Internet and created the lab setup (robotics, scientific equipment, and items needed to complete the lab activity) testing it with lab technicians and others prior to launching the final lab activity.
Quality of Subject Matter was assured by:
  • Consultations during development of instructional materials
Quality of Online/Hybrid Course Design assured by:
  • None
Course Note:
Frst semester General Biology with lab and Survey of Biology courses

Copyright / Licensing

Primary License:
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.