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Running head: OSMOSIS 1

Osmosis

Student’s Name

Institutional Affiliation

OSMOSIS 2

Osmosis

Introduction

In this lab report, potatoes were used to investigate the relationship between solute

concentration and the movement of water through a selectively permeable membrane by the

process of osmosis. When in different concentration, water moves from hypotonic to a

hypertonic solution via a selectively semi-permeable membrane. Osmosis occurs due to the

difference of osmolality (a measure of solute concentration) inside the cell as well as the solution

surrounding the cell that results in the swelling of the cell (Chen, Wu, Zhang, GAO & Gai,

2018). Potato cells are hypertonic to the hypotonic water solution and with osmosis, water enters

the cells making them swell.

Hypothesis

If placed in a hypotonic solution, potato cells swell

If placed in a hypertonic solution, Potato cells shrink.

Materials

The materials used include: seven potatoes cut into five strips, warm distilled water, 6g table salt,

7 cups, scale, 500ml beaker, two spoons, ruler, and two kitchen knives.

Procedure

7 cups were filled with 50mL of the assigned solution. The first cup was filled with

distilled water, the second cup with the 2mL solution, third cup with the 4mL solution, the fourth

cup with the 6mL solution, the fifth cup with the 8mL solution, the sixth cup with the 1.0mL

solution, and the seventh cup got filled with an unknown solution.

OSMOSIS 3

The potato was sliced into 5 strips and their mass determined and recorded in the table.

The 4 cubes were then placed in the cup with sucrose solution and left to stand for 24 hours.

The strips were then removed from the solution and blot dried using the paper towel. The final

mass of the strips was then determined and recorded.

The mass difference and percent change in mass was then calculated using the formula

Percent change in mass= (initial mass-final mass)/ initial mass x 100

The results were then recorded just as indicated in the result table

Results

The initial mass of potato strips, final mass of potato strips, the initial length of potato

strips, the final length of potato strips, and concentration of solutions got determined and

recorded just in the table below:

Initial mass

(g)

Final mass

(g)

Initial length

(mm)

Final length

(mm)

Sucrose

concentration

(%)

Strip 1

1.95

1.42

35.5

10,68 %

Strip 2

2.04

1.40

36.6

11,8 %

Strip 3

2.06

1.43

37.4

11,30 %

Strip 4

2.08

1.92

42.0

10,97 %

Strip 5

2.00

2.36

44.5

11,06 %

OSMOSIS 4

As seen in the table, potato strip 1 and potato strip 3 had different initial mass and same

final mass. The difference in concentration between these strips was 68% which was enough to

change potato from 1.95 to the equivalent mass of 2.06 after the sucrose solution, so the mass

difference is 0.11 grams; however, the same mass is obtained after solution (Chen, Wu, Zhang,

Gao & Gai, 2018). Potato 4 behaved like it was an isotonic solution given that it did not change

in length.

Conclusion

The experiment supported the hypothesis. Potatoes from hypertonic solution shrunk,

while those from hypotonic solution swelled. The graph also shows that there was a potato strip

that behaved like it was in an isotonic solution.

OSMOSIS 5

Reference

Chen, L. Y., Wu, L. P., Zhang, H. L., Gao, Y. B., & Gai, J. G. (2018). Tris (hydroxymethyl)

aminomethane polyamide thin‐film‐composite antifouling reverse osmosis

membrane. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 135(8).

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