Biology IA Full Practice 
Exploration
Research Question
What is the effect of different concentrations of sucrose in a solution on the mass and surface area of a beetroot (Beta Vulgaris) piece?
Background
The membrane consists of a phospholipid bilayer which is semi permeable. Osmosis is the passive movement of water molecules from an area of high water potential to an area of low water potential across a semi-permeable membrane. It is easy for water molecules to pass through this membrane however solutes that are big in size may find it hard to as the semi-permeable membrane is selective to the smaller particles. This may cause a change in mass and surface area of the beetroot.
I was at a fancy restaurant, eating my salad platter which had beetroot in it when I accidentally dropped one of the beetroot pieces into a very sweet drink. I did not realize I did this until the very end of my dinner when I saw that the beetroot piece had increased in size. This got me thinking if the size would change if I put it in different solutions with different levels of sucrose concentration.
Hypothesis
As the concentration level of sucrose in the solution goes up, the mass and surface area will both decrease. This is because the solution will be hypertonic (more solutes) so the water in the beetroot will come outside, into the solution. Cell membranes are selectively semi-permeable so bigger particles need a channel protein or carrier protein to help them pass through the membrane.
Variables
Variable
What it is
How did I measure it
Why
Independent
Concentration of sucrose in the solution (%) – 0%; 30%; 50%; 70%; 100%
Used different volumes of 1mol sucrose solution and diluted it in different volumes of distilled water
In order to create these various sucrose concentrated solution, I diluted the 1mol sucrose solution provided into distilled water
To create different sucrose concentrations in solution
Dependent
Mass of beetroot piece (g ±0.1)
Surface area of beetroot piece
Using an electronic
Research Question
What is the effect of different concentrations of sucrose in a solution on the mass and surface area of a beetroot (Beta Vulgaris) piece?
Background
The membrane consists of a phospholipid bilayer which is semi permeable. Osmosis is the passive movement of water molecules from an area of high water potential to an area of low water potential across a semi-permeable membrane. It is easy for water molecules to pass through this membrane however solutes that are big in size may find it hard to as the semi-permeable membrane is selective to the smaller particles. This may cause a change in mass and surface area of the beetroot.
I was at a fancy restaurant, eating my salad platter which had beetroot in it when I accidentally dropped one of the beetroot pieces into a very sweet drink. I did not realize I did this until the very end of my dinner when I saw that the beetroot piece had increased in size. This got me thinking if the size would change if I put it in different solutions with different levels of sucrose concentration.
Hypothesis
As the concentration level of sucrose in the solution goes up, the mass and surface area will both decrease. This is because the solution will be hypertonic (more solutes) so the water in the beetroot will come outside, into the solution. Cell membranes are selectively semi-permeable so bigger particles need a channel protein or carrier protein to help them pass through the membrane.
Variables
Variable
What it is
How did I measure it
Why
Independent
Concentration of sucrose in the solution (%) – 0%; 30%; 50%; 70%; 100%
Used different volumes of 1mol sucrose solution and diluted it in different volumes of distilled water
In order to create these various sucrose concentrated solution, I diluted the 1mol sucrose solution provided into distilled water
To create different sucrose concentrations in solution
Dependent
Mass of beetroot piece (g ±0.1)
Surface area of beetroot piece
Using an electronic
Bibliography: Omar, A. (2013, May 20). Slideshare. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/XAB00DX/osmosis-lab-report Boundless. “Osmosis.” Boundless Anatomy and Physiology. Boundless, 03 Jul. 2014. Retrieved 10 Dec. 2014 from https://www.boundless.com/physiology/textbooks/boundless-anatomy-and-physiology-textbook/cellular-structure-and-function-3/transport-across-membranes-42/osmosis-331-11470/