2.15a Surface area and Diffusion

Understand the factors that affect the rate of movement of substances in to and out of cells to include the effects of surface area to volume ratio, temperature and concentration gradient

  • in a cell the volume is measured to 1 unit and the surface area is measured to 2 units, which makes the ratio 2: 1 
  • Molecules are able to diffuse in to the cell. 
  • If you increase the surface area but keep the volume the same (by folding the surface) as this has much more surface for it to diffuse in to the cell. 
  • By increasing surface area it increases movement of substances

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