The properties of protoplasm:
1. Protoplasm is translucent, odourless and polyphasic fluid.
2. It is a crystal colloid solution which is a mixture of chemical substances forming crystalloid and colloidal solution.
3. Protoplasm exhibits three Brownian movement, amoeboid movement and cytoplasmic streaming or cyclosis. Viscosity of protoplasm is 2 – 20 centipoises. The Refractive index of the protoplasm is 1.4.
4. The pH of the protoplasm is around 6.8, contain 90% water (10% in dormant seeds).
5. Approximately 34 elements are present in protoplasm but only 13 elements are main or universal elements i.e. C, H, O, N, Cl, Ca, P, Na, K, S, Mg, I and Fe. Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen and Nitrogen form the 96% of protoplasm.
6. Protoplasm is neither a good nor a bad conductor of electricity.
7. Cohesiveness: Particles or molecules of protoplasm are adhered with each other by forces, such as Van der Waal’s bonds, that hold long chains of molecules together. This property varies with the strength of these forces. 8. Contractility: The contractility of protoplasm is important for the absorption and removal of water especially stomatal operations.
9. Surface Tension: The proteins and lipids of the protoplasm have less surface tension, hence they are found at the surface forming the membrane. On the other hand the chemical substances (NaCl) have high surface tension, so they occur in deeper parts of the cell protoplasm.
