Potato Cores Lab
BIOLOGY OSMOSIS LAB REPORT
1. Research Question/ Aim
How do the different sodium chloride concentrations of solutions affect the length (measured in mm) and mass (measured in grams) of potato cores placed in them overnight (approximately 10 hours)?
2. Hypothesis
Alternative hypothesis: As the concentration of sodium chloride in the solution increases, the mass of the potato cores will decrease. If the solution they are in has a lower water potential than the potato cores, there will be net movement of water out of the potato cores. If the solution has a higher water potential than the potato cores, there will be net movement of water into the potato pieces. Therefore, potato cores in less concentrated solutions will gain more weight …show more content…
Dependent (responding)
Final mass of potato pieces
Measured at the end of the experiment with a ruler (in mm) and an electronic balance (in gram).
Controlled variables
Volume of solutions
Each solution is mixed with 300 cm3 of solvent (water) and then divided into two beakers with 150 cm3 in each.
Room temperature
All beakers are kept in the same room, so that they all experience the same conditions.
Type of potato
All the potato pieces come from potatoes bought at a store, packaged together.
Initial sizes of potato pieces
Measured before putting the pieces into the solutions with a ruler (in mm) and an electronic balance (in gram).
Temperature of the solutions
All the beakers were kept in the same place, so the solutions experienced the same conditions.
Size and material of the beakers
The 500 ml beakers were made of glass.
Duration of time the potato is left in the solutions
The potato pieces were left in the solutions overnight, approximately 10 hours.
4. Background …show more content…
The semi-permeable membrane allows small particles through it but does not allow large particles such as sodium chloride. Osmosis will continue until a state of equilibrium is reached i.e. there is no area with a higher or lower concentration than another area.
To land plants, water and osmosis are vital as they play leading roles in the structural support of a plant, they facilitate transport of materials, etc. Lack of water will lead to a plant wilting and possibly dying.
When a cell is in a hypotonic solution (more solute concentration than the cell), water will move from the hypertonic solution (less concentrated) to the hypotonic solution via the process of osmosis.
In this experiment, the movement of water in and out of potato cells left in sodium chloride solution will be investigated. The sodium chloride molecule is too large to be passively transported across the cell membrane, so only net movement of water will happen without any input of energy.
5. Apparatus/Materials
2 x potatoes
1 x bag of salt (sodium chloride)
10 x 500 ml glass
1. Research Question/ Aim
How do the different sodium chloride concentrations of solutions affect the length (measured in mm) and mass (measured in grams) of potato cores placed in them overnight (approximately 10 hours)?
2. Hypothesis
Alternative hypothesis: As the concentration of sodium chloride in the solution increases, the mass of the potato cores will decrease. If the solution they are in has a lower water potential than the potato cores, there will be net movement of water out of the potato cores. If the solution has a higher water potential than the potato cores, there will be net movement of water into the potato pieces. Therefore, potato cores in less concentrated solutions will gain more weight …show more content…
Dependent (responding)
Final mass of potato pieces
Measured at the end of the experiment with a ruler (in mm) and an electronic balance (in gram).
Controlled variables
Volume of solutions
Each solution is mixed with 300 cm3 of solvent (water) and then divided into two beakers with 150 cm3 in each.
Room temperature
All beakers are kept in the same room, so that they all experience the same conditions.
Type of potato
All the potato pieces come from potatoes bought at a store, packaged together.
Initial sizes of potato pieces
Measured before putting the pieces into the solutions with a ruler (in mm) and an electronic balance (in gram).
Temperature of the solutions
All the beakers were kept in the same place, so the solutions experienced the same conditions.
Size and material of the beakers
The 500 ml beakers were made of glass.
Duration of time the potato is left in the solutions
The potato pieces were left in the solutions overnight, approximately 10 hours.
4. Background …show more content…
The semi-permeable membrane allows small particles through it but does not allow large particles such as sodium chloride. Osmosis will continue until a state of equilibrium is reached i.e. there is no area with a higher or lower concentration than another area.
To land plants, water and osmosis are vital as they play leading roles in the structural support of a plant, they facilitate transport of materials, etc. Lack of water will lead to a plant wilting and possibly dying.
When a cell is in a hypotonic solution (more solute concentration than the cell), water will move from the hypertonic solution (less concentrated) to the hypotonic solution via the process of osmosis.
In this experiment, the movement of water in and out of potato cells left in sodium chloride solution will be investigated. The sodium chloride molecule is too large to be passively transported across the cell membrane, so only net movement of water will happen without any input of energy.
5. Apparatus/Materials
2 x potatoes
1 x bag of salt (sodium chloride)
10 x 500 ml glass