Live Action Osmosis 1

Live Action Osmosis

Emma Pospisil
Honors Biology, period 4
Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic
4/30/2018
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Introduction
A cell membrane protects cells. Cell membranes determine which particles leave and

enter the cell. Diffusion is the passive movement of particles along a concentration gradient of

higher to regions of lower concentration, according to (biologyonline). During passive transport

particles can move effortlessly throughout the cell without energy use, in contras active transport

requires ATP to move the particles through the membrane. The cell membrane is selectively

permeable. This means the membrane will be permeable to different molecules. For example,

carbon dioxide and oxygen can defuse fairly easy throughout the cell membrane because it is

small and doesn’t have charge, according to (khanacademy). Examples of particles that will have

trouble getting through is a sodium or potassium ion, because it does have a charge. An

important molecule that cannot pass through is water, because it is hydrophilic. Water is a vital

part of the cell, to pass through, channel proteins are lodged into the membrane and help guide

the water molecule through.

Osmosis is the diffusion of water molecules. Water moves from a high to low

concentration until it meets its equilibrium. Aquaporins are the channel proteins for water and

only water since water cannot pass through the membrane on its own, (biologyonline).

Aquaporins are always open to transport water molecules, making a possible higher

concentration of water outside the cell than inside. This is an example of an osmotic environment

known as a hypotonic environment. The next type of osmotic environment is an isotonic

environment. This is when there is an equal distribution of water molecules, (phschool). The last

type of osmotic environment is known as a hypertonic environment which is when there is a

higher concentration of water inside the cell than outside of it, water moves outside and then the
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cell shrinks. In conclusion, if there is a higher concentration of water outside the cell, then there

must be a higher concentration of solutes inside the cell, according to (yvcc.edu). It is very

important to understand osmosis for every day purposes because some outcomes of putting cells

in these environments could be dangerous. One example is, people running long distances need

to drink water. Although runners might think they need to drink more, and excessive amount

could be very dangerous. If water is being consumed at excessive amounts the cells will be put in

a hypotonic environment. In other words, water is constantly entering the cell and will eventually

burst causing the runner to die. This event of the cells bursting is called cytolysis, (medical

dictionary).

In the lab, dialysis tubing is used simulate a cell. Dialysis tubing was used because of its

selectively permeable properties, like a cell. The three purposes to this lab is to see how the rate

of osmosis differs with the different concentration gradients, see the effects of osmosis in the

different environments, and lastly determining what dialysis tubing is permeable to.

The set up for part 1 of the lab has 6 different concentrations of glucose solutions in

beakers. Isotonic solution is in beaker 1. Beakers 2 through 6 are all filled with hypotonic

solutions. Beaker 5 is a hypertonic environment. In part 1, the dependent variable is change in

mass and the independent variable is the different osmotic environments. Some constants in part

one was type of dialysis tubing, length of dialysis tubing, size of beakers, and the amount of

solution in beakers. The control is beaker 1, which is water in water. All the remaining beakers

are the experimental group. My hypothesis for part 1 is, if the glucose levels in each simulated

cell are above 20%, then the mass of the cell will increase.

In part 2, the solution is hypertonic. The dependent variable is color change, and the

independent variable is the location of starch. The constants in part 2 were amount of iodine,
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amount of starch, time intervals, and amount of water in each of the beakers. In this experiment

there are no control or experimental group since the experiment only tested if the dialysis tubing

was permeable to iodine. Lastly my hypothesis for part 2 is, if the simulated cell, or dialysis

tubing, is permeable to iodine, then the solution will darken.

Materials

 Iodine

 Potato Starch

 Pipette

 10mL Graduated Cylinder

 Dialysis Tubing

 Electronic Scale

 Scissors

 Ribbon

 Beakers

 Paper Towels

 Water

 Paper

 Pencil

 Timer

 Plastic spoon

 Glucose solution
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Procedure
Part 1
1. Gather the lab materials

2. Soak dialysis tubing in water

3. Place 200 mL of different solutions into each of the 6 beakers. Keep track of

solution type in each beaker, label.

4. At approx. one centimeter from the bottom fold the tubing and tie a very tight

knot with string. Tie 5 dialysis tubes.

5. Fill tube (1) ½ way full of tap water, fill tube (2) ½ full of 20% starch soluton, fill

tube (3) ½ full of 40% starch solution, fill tube (4) ½ full of 60% starch solution,

fill tube (5) ½ full of tap water.

6. Once each bag is filled with specific solutions, tie the other end tight with string.

7. Weigh the masses of each tube and record results.

8. Have timer ready, and drop all tubes in beakers simultaneously.

9. Wait 3 minutes, then take tubes out and dry off.

10. After tubes are dry, weigh them on the scale and record results.

11. Repeat steps 8-10 two times.

12. Record all data.

Part 2
1. Gather materials.

2. Soak dialysis tubing in water.

3. At approx. one centimeter from the bottom fold the tubing and tie a very tight

knot with string.

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4. Fill the tubing ½ full of starch solution, then tie the tubing shut with string

tightly.

5. Rise bag, dry off and set aside.

6. Fill an additional beaker ½ full with tap water, then add 8 drops of lodine. Place

the model cell in the lodine solution beaker.

7. After 15 minutes remove the model cell and record any color change that might

have taken place.

(Information found in “diffusion through cell membrane packet”)

Results
The results for part 1 were over all consistent. Beakers 2-6 increased in their mass at

consistent rates. Beaker 1 wasn’t as consistent. Beaker 1 slightly gained mass but then decreased

in the later trials. (Water in 60%) for all 3-time intervals decreased immensely, leaving it as the

only negative results.

Table 1: Data
20 % in 40% in 60% in Water in 80% in
Time Water in Water Water Water Water 60% 60%

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

3 208 317 408 567 -150 241

6 291 534 800 1009 -533 316

9 249 701 1108 1409 -783 399

While conducting this experiment the data was recorded accurately for each trial and time
interval. To make the data accurate as possible the class recorded the change in mass of each
tube. By doing this it ensures the accuracy of the data because each tube could have a slightly
different amount of solution in it.
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2000 water in water

20% in water
40% in water
1500 60% in water
water in 60%
80% in 60%
1000

500

0
0 3 6 9

-500

-1000

Figure 1: Graph of Results

This graph demonstrates the data students collects in the lab. The key in the top left
corner of the graph shows what each line stands for.

Part 2 results are as follows. The solution inside the model cell changed from a clear
color to a dark blue/ black color. While the solution in the beaker stayed the same.

Discussion
Certain bag lost and gain weight for a couple possible reasons. One very possible human

error is that students didn’t tie the tubing tightly enough letting the solution leak, leaving it with a

lighter mass. When the cell is getting closer to equilibrium the results in the graph begin to level

out. They are, for the most part, at a constant rise then it levels when it is close to reaching

equilibrium. The rate of osmosis decreases as its concentration gradient gets higher. The 80/60

simulated cell didn’t gain as much weight as the 20/0 simulated cell because 20/0 was lighter

allowing it to work faster. In part 2 of the lab the simulated cell turned blue. After some research
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I found that according to (chemistry views) iodine turns starch a dark blue color due to the

amylose in the reaction. The dialysis tubing was permeable to glucose and iodine but not

permeable to starch.

In every lab there are bound to be uncontrollable errors or human errors. Some for this

lab may include inconsistent records of data. Students might have rounded or written down the

wrong results. Another is students might not have tied the dialysis tubing tight enough leaving

substances to leak, affecting the results. Students might have left the dialysis tubing in the

beakers for too little or too much time, which then could affect results. Lastly, when filling the

tubes with the solution students might have put and inconsistent amount in. One change I would

make in this experiment if I conducted it again would be making the time intervals longer to see

more differentiating results.

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References
Cytolysis. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/cytolysis
Diffusion. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/Kinetic/diffus.html
Passive transport and selective permeability. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.khanacademy.org/science/biology/membranes-and-transport/passive-
transport/v/passive-transport-and-selective-permeability
(n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www2.yvcc.edu/Biology/109Modules/Modules/MembraneTransport/membranetran
sport.htm