Final answer:
Membrane 1 with large pores would show a slow decrease in solute filtration rates with increasing molecular weight, while Membrane 2 with small pores would have a more rapid decrease due to its tighter pore size, affecting its ability to allow larger molecules to pass through. Dialysis utilizes semipermeable membranes to differentiate solute molecules based on size.
Step-by-step explanation:
The expected solute filtration rates as a function of molecular weight for two dialysis membranes: Membrane 1 with large pores and Membrane 2 with small pores, would differ based on their pore sizes. Membrane 1 would allow for the passage of larger molecules compared to Membrane 2. As the molecular weight of the solute increases, the solute filtration rate for Membrane 1 would gradually decrease; meanwhile, Membrane 2 would show a more pronounced decline in filtration rate as molecular weight increases, given its smaller pore size. Therefore, the figure depicting solute filtration rates that decrease more sharply for Membrane 2 as molecular weight increases represent the expected behavior for these two membranes. Dialysis is a process that uses a semipermeable membrane with pores that allow small solute molecules and solvents to pass while blocking larger solute molecules. This is particularly pertinent in biochemistry and molecular biology for purifying proteins from mixtures or adjusting solute concentrations for experiments.