Osmosis lab

Introduction:
Every cell has its own cell membrane. Cell membrane is a thin structure that cover all
over the cell (Bailey, R., n.d.). The cell membranes function is to separate inside and outside
of cell and also to transport substances in and out of the cell. The cell membrane consists of
three things; Phospholipid bilayer, Cholesterol, Protein. Membrane transport is the process
that moving molecule in and out of the cell. Membrane transport has two types which are
Passive transport and Active transport. For the Active transport, it needs any energy(ATP) to
help molecule move from an area of low concentration to high concentration. By that, Passive
transport is the process that molecules move from an area of high concentration to low
concentration and does not require any energy (Movement across membranes, 2005). Passive
transport can divide into three types; Simple diffusion, Facilitated diffusion and Osmosis
(Osmosis, Diffusion and cell Transport, n.d.). For Simple diffusion, the molecule can easily
pass through phospholipid bilayer but it needs to be small size and no charge. For Facilitated
diffusion, the molecules need the specific types of protein to help for passing through cell
membrane because of their sizes and charges. For Osmosis, it is the movement of water
across permeable membrane from a lower solute concentration to a higher solute
concentration. Osmosis is divided in to 3 solutions which are Isotonic, hypertonic and
hypotonic solution (Singer, S. J., and Nicolson, G.L., 1972). Isotonic is a solution that solute
and solvent concentration are equal. Hypertonic is solution that solute concentration is higher
than solvent. Hypotonic is a solution that solvent concentration is higher than solute (Cellular
communication, n.d.).
In this experiment, we will use jellies and potatoes as our substances. We will put
them into distilled water and salt water. Distilled water represents hypotonic and salt water
represents hypertonic. We will observe that if we put potatoes and jellies into distilled water,
then it will swell up. And if we put potatoes and jellies into salt water, it will shrink. If this
happens, it means that Osmosis is the movement of water across permeable membrane from a
lower solute concentration to a higher solute concentration.

References
Bailey, R. (n.d.). Cell Membrane Retrieved from
http://biology.about.com/od/cellanatomy/ss/cell-membrane.htm
Singer, S. J., and Nicolson, G.L. (1972). Transport in and out of the cell Retrieved from
https://www2.estrellamountain.edu/faculty/farabee/biobk/BioBooktransp.html
Movement across membranes (2005) Retrieved from
http://www.biologymad.com/resources/diffusionrevision.pdf
Cellular communication (n.d.) Retrieved from
https://moodle.kent.ac.uk/external/mod/book/view.php?id=2396&chapterid=81
Osmosis, Diffusion and cell Transport (n.d.) Retrieved from
http://www.rahway.net/cms/lib8/NJ01911623/Centricity/Domain/476/3%20types%20of
%20transport.pdf

Nattawan Ekakkaravichit Pop 1002