Osmosis Lab

Introduction (Bow):

The phospholipid bilayer is a selectively permeable membrane meaning it allows only some
materials to enter or exit itself. The materials that are small can easily pass through, but the
materials that are large such as ions and large molecules need to use transport proteins to pass
through. There are 2 types of membrane transport, active and passive transport. Active transport is
the diffusion of solute against the concentration gradient. This is known as uphill. Molecules will
move from the low to high concentration using energy (ATP) from the cell. Therere two types of
active transport including sodium-potassium pump and bulk transport. Inside the cell, there is a
system which acts like pumps called transport protein that large substances and ions can use to pass
through the membrane (Ruksanawong, 2007). Passive transport is the diffusion of solute along the
concentration gradient. This is known as downhill. Its the movement from the high to low
concentration until the two solutions are equal (Diffen, n.d.). There are 3 types of passive transport:
simple diffusion, facilitated diffusion, and osmosis. In simple diffusion, the hydrophobic
substances, which are very small and nonpolar, can pass through membrane but, in facilitated
diffusion, it requires channel or carrier protein to help large and polar substance pass membrane.
Another type of passive transport is osmosis which is a movement of water from high to low
concentration or hypotonic to hypertonic until it's at equilibrium (Andrew Rader Studios, n.d.).
When the cell is placed in a hypertonic solution, the cell will shrink because water will move out of
the cell but, if the cell is placed in a hypotonic solution, the cell will swell because water will move
into the cell. On the other hand, if the cell placed in a isotonic solution, the cell wont change
because two solution has the same concentration and this one is the best for an organism.

In our experiment, we will measure mass and volume of a jelly and a piece of potato to be a
control group first. Then, we will put two half potatoes and two jellies into different solutions
including distilled water and concentrate salt solution which it's an experiment group. After an hour,
we will measure mass and volume of pieces of potato and jellies that in distilled water and
concentrate salt solution then, compare to the first mass and volume of both substances. The change
in mass and volume after putting in solutions for an hour is the purpose of this experiment.

References:

Membrane transport. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www2.yvcc.edu/Biology/109Modules/Modules/MembraneTransport/membranetransport.htm

Active and Passive Transport. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.diffen.com/difference/Active_Transport_vs_Passive_Transport

Passive Transport - Taking the Easy Road. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.biology4kids.com/files/cell2_passivetran.html