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Leaving Cert Biology: Movement through membranes

How often Movement through membranes comes up on the Biology papers, every year it was asked, and questions to try.

HL Asked on 9 of the last 10 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2026. banker

OL Asked on 8 of the last 10 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2026. most years

June 2027 is the first exam on the new Biology course. These come from the 2016–2026 papers, so read them as a guide.

Movement through membranes, Higher Level(6 marks)

Quick ones on Movement through membranes.

(a)Diffusion of water across a selectively permeable membrane?
  1. Active transport
  2. Osmosis
  3. Transpiration
(b)Plant cell full of water, pressing on its wall?
  1. Flaccid
  2. Plasmolysed
  3. Turgid
(c)Plant cell membrane pulled away from its wall?
  1. Plasmolysed
  2. Lysed
  3. Turgid
Show the answers

(a) Osmosis

(b) Turgid

(c) Plasmolysed

Your turn: Higher Level questions on Movement through membranes.

Higher Level

Asked on 9 of the last 10 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2026. banker

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2026Q16
2025Q9
2024Q5
2023Q16
2022Q5
2021Q17
2019Q7
2018Not asked
2017Q3, Q9
2016Q14

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Movement through membranes questions

Movement through membranes, 2 marks

Movement of a substance against its concentration gradient, using ATP?

  1. Diffusion
  2. Osmosis
  3. Active transport
Show the answer

Active transport

Carrier proteins in the membrane pump substances in or out using energy, e.g. root hairs taking in mineral ions.

Movement through membranes, 2 marks

Effect of a larger surface area on the rate of osmosis?

  1. No effect
  2. Increases it
  3. Decreases it
Show the answer

Increases it

More membrane means more water can cross at once. Temperature and the concentration gradient also affect the rate.

Ordinary Level

Asked on 8 of the last 10 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2026. most years

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2026Q3
2025Q3
2024Q6
2023Q9
2022Q14
2021Not asked
2019Q13
2018Not asked
2017Q9
2016Q3

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Movement through membranes questions

Movement through membranes, 2 marks

The movement of molecules from a high to a low concentration is called?

  1. Osmosis
  2. Digestion
  3. Diffusion
Show the answer

Diffusion

Diffusion is any molecule spreading out down its concentration gradient. Osmosis is the special case of water through a membrane.

Movement through membranes, 2 marks

The movement of water across a semi-permeable membrane is called?

  1. Respiration
  2. Osmosis
  3. Diffusion
Show the answer

Osmosis

Osmosis is water only, and it always moves towards the more concentrated solution. That is how roots take in water.

Movement through membranes, 3 marks

What happens to an animal cell placed in pure water?

  1. It swells and may burst
  2. It shrinks and dies
  3. Nothing happens to it
Show the answer

It swells and may burst

Water enters by osmosis and there is no cell wall to stop the swelling. A plant cell in the same water just becomes firm.

Other Biology topics

All of Leaving Cert Biology