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Selectively Permeable Membranes
| Content Provider | TeachEngineering: STEM curriculum for K-12 |
|---|---|
| Author | Shows, Eric Sorrell, Jamie |
| Copyright Year | 2016 |
| Description | Students learn that engineers develop different polymers to serve various functions and are introduced to selectively permeable membranes. In the main activity, student pairs test and compare the selective permeability of everyday polymer materials engineered for food storage (including plastic grocery bags, zipper sandwich bags, and plastic wrap) with various in-solution molecules (iodine, corn starch, food coloring, marker dye), assess how the polymer’s permeability relates to its function/purpose, and compare that to the permeability of dialysis tubing (which simulates a cell membrane). Students learn that engineers develop different polymers to serve various functions and are introduced to selectively permeable membranes. In a warm-up activity, they construct models of selectively permeable membranes using common household materials, and are reminded about simple diffusion and passive transport. In the main activity, student pairs test and compare the selective permeability of everyday polymer materials engineered for food storage (including plastic grocery bags, zipper sandwich bags, and plastic wrap) with various in-solution molecules (iodine, corn starch, food coloring, marker dye), assess how the polymer’s permeability relates to its function/purpose, and compare that to the permeability of dialysis tubing (which simulates a cell membrane). |
| Language | English |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Rights Holder | University of Southern Mississippi Regents of The University of Colorado |
| Subject Keyword | Biology Life Science Science and Technology Polymer Diffusion Passive Transport Permeable Low Concentration Plastics Cell Membrane Plastic Bag Transport High Concentration Selectively Permeable Plastic Concentration Gradient Equilibrium Molecule Molecular Level |
| Content Type | Text |
| Time Required | PT1H45M |
| Education Level | Class VIII Class IX Class X |
| Pedagogy | Experimental Activity |
| Resource Type | Hands-on |
| Subject | Biology Technical |
