POTATOES USED TO PROVE HOW OSMOSIS WORKS

Introduction

Osmosis is a special type of diffusion which involves the movement of water molecules
through a partially permeable membrane. Osmosis occurs when water moves from an area of a
higher concentration (distilled water) to an area of a lower concentration (sucrose solution). In turn
this could be defined as water moving from a weak to a strong solution i.e. the more concentrated
sucrose solution.

The hypothesis is we use potatoes to demonstrate cells. the potato in fresh water, is harder
because the potato absorbs the water particles, however the potato in salt water, is
softer/mushy because the water absorbs the potato particles.

Procedure

Salt 2 tbs
Water 400 ml
2 beaker
1 mixer
2 potato slice 6.4g each

prepare 2 beaker and put 2tbs of salt in one of the beakers

pour water in both of the beakers each 200ml

cut 2 potato slices make sure the weight is the same, then after you measure the weight put the
potatoes in both of the beakers

then wait for an hour and see what happened

record your result

Data Table

Salt Water Fresh Water

Before: 23.2g After: 22.3g Before: 23.2g After: 23.7g

Before: 6.4g After: 5.1g Before: 6.4g After: 6.8g

Before: 28.7g After: 27.0g Before: 28.7 After: 30.0

 Before: 34.0g After: 32.0g Before: 34.0 After: 34.2

Before: 25.0g After: 23.7g Before: 25.0 After: 28.5

Before: 28.2g After: 28.7g Before: 28.1 After: 28.6

Result

the one that has been soaking in freshwater. Not much of a difference here, only that the potato is
a little more rigid than before. This is because there is the more salt and other dissolved chemicals within
the potato then the surrounding water. This means that the water will move into the potato. the one that
has been soaking in saltwater. This potato pieces looks substantially different from the original and the
other slice. It seems to have wilted, gotten very soft and flexible. Why did that happen?

It has to do with a process called osmosis. The potato is made up of tiny, living units called cells.
Each cell is surrounded by a cell membrane which acts much as your skin does. It keeps the cells parts
inside and keeps other things outside, protecting the cell.

While this membrane stops most things, water can pass through it. The water tends to move
towards higher concentrations of dissolved chemicals. That means that if the water outside the cell is
saltier than the water inside, water will move from the inside of the cell to the outside. As the water left the
cell it was much like letting the air out of a balloon. As more and more of the cells lost water, the slice of
potato became soft and flexible.