Biology Lab Report;

-OSMOSISThe effect of various concentrations of NaCl salt solutions on the

length of potato strips

Name: Noor Amrun bin Hasanuddin

Class: 12.4
Date: 13 September 2016
College ID: IBS16030

1. Introduction

1.1 Aim
To determine how different in concentrations of NaCl salt solution (Sodium chloride
solution) can affect the length of the potato chips through osmosis.

1.2 Background
Osmosis is the fundamental study in Biology. It is one of the four methods of moving
particles across membranes. All cells use the osmosis principle to move in and out of
themselves. This is due to the differences in concentration of substances dissolved in the
water. In an aqueous solution, the higher the concentration of the solute, the lower the
concentration of water molecules.

Water molecules move from higher region of concentration (less solute concentration) to a
lower region of concentration (more solute concentration). The purpose of osmosis occurs
is to get equal and balance concentration from both sides of the membrane. This is what
called as an equilibrium state. When it reaches equilibrium state, the net movement of
water molecules is zero.1
A

Figure 1. A. Plant cell placed in pure water. This cell will become inflated because the water outside the cell is
at a higher concentration than the water inside the cell. As water moves in by osmosis the vacuole fills up and
presses out against the cell wall. B. The same cell in water equal to the concentration inside the cell. This cell
has no overall gain or loss of water because whatever moves out will be replaced by water moving in. C. A cell
placed in a salt solution. This cell will lose water as the water moves by diffusion from higher to lower
concentration. The cytoplasm of this cell has shrunken in a process called plasmolysis.

1 (Source: Andrew A. and David M. 2014, Oxford IB Diploma Program Biology,

Oxford UK, Oxford University Press)
2

1.3 Personal Engagement

Ever since I was a child, I often see my family especially my father who likes to buy
pickled fruits from nearby stores. I remember my father introduced it to me for the first
time, and I strongly disliked how odd the taste was on my taste buds. Too much eating it
can cause dizziness in my head as it is too sour somehow. Out of idle curiosity, I wonder
why do people actually pickle the fruits? What benefit does it bring to the fruit? After
searching for the answer, I discovered that it is one of the ways to preserve fruits from
bacteria growing in it by immersing the fruits in a highly concentrated solution. By doing
so, water will move from inside of the fruits into the concentrated solution and eventually
prevent bacteria from growing. This discovery intrigues me to try and make an experiment
to discover how can different concentration of NaCl salt solutions affect the fruits.

1.4 Significance
The experiment is conducted by the students to study the mechanism of water diffusion
into and out of the cells by using the method of immersion of the potato strips into
different concentrations of NaCl salt solution. At the end of the experiment, we could get
the basic idea of what literally osmosis means to us and help botanists around the world to
understand this as well in botany or perhaps herbalogy.

1.5 Research Question

How does 5 different concentration of NaCl salt solutions (which is 1%, 3%, 5%, 7%, and
9%) and distilled water affect the initial length of the potato strips (3cm) when immersed
within 30 minutes.

1.6 Hypothesis
The higher the concentration of NaCl salt solution, the shorter the length of the potato
strips at the end of the experiment. This is because hypertonic solution has relatively
higher concentration of solute compared to the concentration of water molecules, thus
water molecules from the fruit move outside the cell and enter the hypertonic solution.

2. Methodology

2.1 Variables
Variables

How to control the variables

Independent variable;
The concentration of NaCl salt solution (%)

We use different concentrations of NaCl of

salt solutions which are 1%, 3%, 5%, 7%, 9%
and distilled water.

Dependent variable;
The final length of potato strips (cm)

Take out the immersed potato strips from the

NaCl salt solutions and measure the final
length of the potato strips by using a ruler.

Controlled variable;
1) The initial length of potato strips
2)The same stock of potatoes
3)The type of salt solution used
4) The cork borer

1) Cut and use the same initial length of

potato strips (3cm)
2) Use the same stock of potatoes
3) Use NaCl salt solution (sodium chloride
aqueous solution)
4) Same size of cork borer was used
throughout the experiment

Difficult controlled variable;

1) The air current
2)Time

1) Wrap the 6 beakers using plastic wraps in

order to prevent water loss to the surrounding
or evaporation.
2) All of the potato strips were immersed in 6
different beakers at the same time with
another student taking the time using
stopwatch.

Table 2.1 shows the variables and how to control the variables

2.2 List of apparatus

Apparatus & Materials

Quantity

Potatoes
3
Distilled water
1
Different concentration of NaCl salt solutions 5
which are 1%, 3%, 5%, 7%, 9%.
Scalpel
1
White tiles
1
Plastic wrap`(roll)
1
Paper towel (roll)
1
Cork borer (of one sized)
1
100 ml beakers
6
15 cm ruler
1
Digital stopwatch
1
Table 2.2 shows apparatus & materials and the quantity it is used.
Risk Assessment: All materials and apparatus are safe to used except for scalper. It is very
sharp and should be taken a great care when use it.

2.3 Procedure
1.
2.
3.
4.

Clear the table and place a white tile.

Take 3 potatoes and place it nearby.
Use one sized of cork-borer that is chosen to form 18 identical of potato strips.
Take one by one of the potato strips and cut in into 3 cm long using a ruler and a
scalpel.
Caution: Scalpel is very sharp, wear hand gloves and use carefully.
5. After cutting it one by one, the potato strips are immersed in a water to maintain its
turgidity. This is to prevent evaporation from occurring.
6. The remaining potato strips are collected to be thrown away.
7. Fill 6 different beakers with 50ml salt solution and distilled water 0% salt solution
(distilled water), 1% salt solution, 3% salt solution, 5% salt solution. 7% salt solution
and 9% salt solution. The lower meniscus should touch the 75ml mark.
8. 18 potato strips are blotted using paper towel to remove excess water.
9. All of the potato strips are put into 6 different beakers containing different
concentrations of NaCl salt solutions at the same time. Each beaker has 3 potato
strips in it.
10. At the same time, start the digital stopwatch immediately after the potato strips are
immersed in the NaCl salt solution.
11. Label the beakers respectively.
12. After 30 minutes, remove the potato strips quickly and carefully and blot it using
another piece of paper towel.
13. Measure the final length of the potato strips using a ruler.
14. Record the data in a table and tabulate.

3. Results
3.1 Qualitative analysis
Concentratio
n of NaCl
salt solutions
(%)

Textures

Shape

Length

Colour

Flexibility

Distilled
water

Turgid

Long

Pale yellow

Very firm

Flaccid

Shorter

Light yellow

Firm

Flaccid

Wellcylindrical
shaped
Cylindrical
shaped
Shrank

Shorter

Yellow

Wilt

Flaccid

Shrank

Shorter

Yellow

Wilt

Flaccid

Shrank

Shorter

Yellow

Wilt

Extremely
Extremely
Shorter
Yellow
Extremely
Flaccid
shrank
wilt
Table 3.1 shows qualitative observations with different concentration of salt solutions,
textures, shapes, lengths, colours and flexibilities of the potato strips.

3.2 Quantitative analysis

Concentration
of NaCl salt
solutions (%)

Reading measured (cm)

Final length (cm)

Average
length
(cm)

Change in
length
(cm)

Distilled water

Initial
length
(cm)
3.0

3.2

3.1

3.1

3.1

+0.1

3.0

3.0

3.0

3.0

3.0

0.0

3.0

2.9

2.9

2.8

2.9

-0.1

3.0

2.8

2.8

2.8

2.8

-0.2

3.0

2.7

2.7

2.8

2.7

-0.3

3.0

2.6

2.7

2.6

2.6

-0.4

Table 3.2 shows the change in mass of three potato strips placed in various concentrations of
NaCl salt solutions.

3.2.1 Observations on quantitative results

Concentrations of NaCl of salt
Observations
solutions (%)
Distilled water
The potato strips were longer than the initial length
1
Shorter
3
Short
5
Short
7
Short
9
Very short
Table 3.2.1 indicates the length of the potato strips after the experiment.

3.3 Data Processing

The data collected above had to be processed in order to draw meaningful conclusions
from it. Calculating the change in mass and then converting it to a percentage was one of
the most basic calculations that helped identify the difference between the initial and
final masses. Calculating the mean was also important because the trials have slightly
different values each, but for the graph, only one set of values that represented the average
of the data points was needed.2

Sample calculation:
1) Change in length (cm) = Average length Initial length
a) 3.1 3.0 = +0.1
b) 3.0 3.0 = 0.0
2 (Source: Momina Amjad (August 7, 2014) Osmosis, the effect of increasing
sucrose solution on the mass of potato chips,
https://www.scribd.com/doc/236096716/IB-Biology-IA-Osmosis)
8

c)
d)
e)
f)

2.9 3.0 = -0.1

2.8 3.0 = -0.2
2.7-3.0 = -0.3
2.6-3.0 = -0.4

2) Percentage change in length = change in length/initial length x 100%

a)

+0.1
100 =3.33
3.0

b)

0.0
100 =0.00
3.0

c)

0.1
100 =3.33
3.0

d)

0.2
100 =6.67
3.0

e)

0.3
100 =10.0
3.0

f)

0.4
100 =13.3
3.0

3) Mean
The mean is the average of the numbers: a calculated "central" value of a set of numbers. To
calculate: Just add up all the numbers, then divide by how many numbers there are.3 The
mean of the potato strips can be calculated by summing up all the average values and divide
by six (because we used 6 different concentrations of NaCl salt solutions).

The equation is as follows;

3 (Math is Fun (2014) Definition of Mean

https://www.mathisfun.com/definitions/mean.html)
9

3.1+3.0+ 2.9+ 2.8+2.7+2.6

=2.85
6

4) Uncertainty can be calculated by taking the smallest division of an apparatus used and
divide it by 2, then multiply it by how many times it is used.
a) 15 cm ruler. The smallest unit for the ruler is 0.1cm
Uncertainty of the ruler =

0.1
3= 0.15 cm
2

3.4 Data Presentation

Effect of different concentrations of NaCl salt solutions on length of potato strips
0.2
0.1
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
-0.1
Change in
length(cm)
of potato strips (cm)
Change in length of potato
strips
-0.2
-0.3
-0.4
-0.5
Concentrations of NaCl salt solutions (%)

Graph 1
Based on the graph 1 above, the relationship between the concentrations of NaCl salt
solutions and the change in length of potato strips (cm) is inversely proportional. The change
in length of the potato strips is determined by difference in final length of potato strips and
initial length of potato strips. When the potato strips are immersed in distilled water, the
change in length of potato strips shows a positive value. The water molecules from the
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distilled water diffuse into the cell via osmosis which also indicates that the distilled water is
hypotonic to the potato strips cells.
As the concentration of the salt solution increases, the change in length potato strips seems to
decrease. For example, when the potato strips are immersed in salt solution (3% of NaCl salt
solution), the change in length of potato strips shows a negative value. The water molecules
from the cell diffuse into the salt solution via osmosis. This indicates that the salt solution
used is hypertonic to the potato strips cell.
It goes the same for the 5%, 7% and 9% NaCl salt solutions, the change in length of potato
strips will show a negative value because they are hypertonic solutions.

4. Evaluation
4.1 Limitations
Limitations and weaknesses
The cork borer and the scalpel are rusty

Improvement(s)
If the rust gets into your skin and into your
veins, it can cause tetanus. So, we use hand
gloves.

Time laps

Putting the potato strips at different time can

affect the final result on the final length of
the potato strips. So my other two friends and
I put the potato strips altogether into
respective beakers at the same time and start
measuring the time using digital stopwatch.

Do not leave potato strips exposed to the air.

The water inside the potato strips will

evaporate if it is exposed to the surrounding
air. To overcome this, we dipped all the 18
potato strips into water.

Do not soak the potato strips immediately

after cutting it

Some parts of the potato strips might not be

exposed to the salt solution when immersed
as there might be rust from the scalpel or
from the cork borer. So, we bloat the potato
strips to remove the rust.

Air movement

We wrap all the six beakers using plastic

wraps to prevent evaporation.

Temperature of the room

The heat from outside of the lab can get into

your results. So, we turned off the fans to get
a homogenous temperature of the room.
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Table 4.1 shows the limitations and weaknesses and ways to improve it.

4.2 Conclusion
Based on the graph collected from the experiment, the line of the graph shows that the
relationship between the concentrations of the salt solution and the change in length of potato
strips is inversely proportional. The change in length of the potato strips is determined by
taking the difference between final length of potato strips and initial length of potato strips.
When the potato strips are immersed in distilled water, the change in length of the potato
strips shows a positive value. There is a movement of water molecules from the distilled
water into the potato strips cells. This tells us that the distilled water is hypotonic to the
potato cells. Distilled water used is a hypotonic solution. The cells become plasmolysed.
Contradict to the potato strips that are immersed in higher concentrations of solute in the salt
solution, the change in length of the potato strips shows a negative value. The movement of
water molecules is from the potato cells into the salt solution. As the concentration of the salt
solution increases, more water molecules diffuse out from the potato cells into the salt
solution via osmosis. This concludes that 1%, 3%, 5%, 7% and 9% NaCl salt solutions used
are hypertonic solutions. The cells become deplasmolysed.
This seems like the experiment supports the hypothesis that the water molecules move from a
higher region of water molecules to a lower region of water molecules within semi-permeable
membranes.
Apart from that, the qualitative results consolidate the hypothesis from the table 3.1. The
potato strips in hypotonic solution is rather more turgid while the potato strips in hypertonic
solutions is flaccid and a bit squashy.

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List of References
1. Andrew A. and David M. 2014, Oxford IB Diploma Program Biology, Oxford UK,
Oxford University Press

2. Momina Amjad (August 7, 2014), Osmosis, the effect of increasing sucrose solution
on the mass of potato chips, retrieved from
https://www.scribd.com/doc/236096716/IB-Biology-IA-Osmosis

3. Math is Fun (2014) Definition of Mean, retrieved from

https://www.mathisfun.com/definitions/mean.html

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