Osmosis Lab

Result
The table shows the mass of jelly and potato before and after being placed in distilled water
and salt solution.

Control Distilled water Salt solution Percent change

before after before after before after Distilled Salt
water solution
Jelly Weight 2.66 - 2.49 3.21 3.05 3.09 +28.92% +1.31%
(g)
Volume 2.5 - 2 3 3 3 +50% +0%
(cube cm)
Potato Weight 1.32 - 1.89 2.06 1.67 1.45 +8.99% -13%
(g)
Volume 1 - 2 1.5 1 1.5 -25% +50%
(cube cm)

Percent change in mass and volume of tested

substances placed in distilled water
60
Percent change (%)

40

20

0
mass volume
-20

-40

Jelly Potato

Percent change in mass and volume of tested

substances placed in salt solution
60
50
Percent change (%)

40
30
20
10
0
-10 mass volume
-20

Jelly Potato
Form the experiment, the percent changes are calculated by: the new weight/volume – the prior
weight and volume of the tested substances / the prior weight and volume x 100 = %
Placing the tested substances in distilled water and salt solution gives different trends of
result, and there are also several odd results that don’t come along with the trend. The changes
in mass of both jelly and potato which were placed in distilled water increased; the jelly gained
weight more than potato by the percentage 28.92%:8.99%. However, the volume of jelly in
distilled water increase by 50% but the volume of the potato decreased by 25%.
In salt solution, the mass of jelly increased slightly by 1.31% while the mass of potato decreased
by 13%; both jelly and potato in salt solution relatively gained less/not gained weight comparing
to the ones in distilled water. But, while the volume of the jelly didn’t change, the volume of
potato increased a lot by 50%, creating a converse results of the changes of volume in the two
solutions; the volume of jelly relatively increased in distilled water while the volume of potato
decreased in distilled water and relatively increased in salt water.

Analysis
By considering distilled water and salt solution as the key to different changes of mass and
volume of the tested substances, the two different solutions create distinct concentration of
water inside and outside the tested substances. According to the study about osmosis, water
diffuses from the higher concentration of water (dilute solution) to the lower concentration of
water (concentrated solution) through a selective permeable membrane. The membrane
regulates what can come in our out of the substance. ‘Isotonic solution’ is a type of solution which
has the same concentration as the substance. ‘Hypertonic solution’ is more concentrated than
the substance, and ‘hypotonic solution is less concentrated than the substance (
Since distilled water is generally a hypotonic solution to jelly and potato cell owing to its
less concentration, water should diffuse into the substances. We can see that the change in mass
of jelly and potato placed in the distilled water increase and supports the hypothesis that says
both jelly and potato will gain weight in distilled water. It is because water enters the jelly and
potato through sugar shell and cell membrane respectively. But, while the volume of the jelly
increases---coherent to the positive mass change and supports the hypothesis, the volume of
potato decreases---contradictory to the mass change and doesn’t support the hypothesis that
says the volume of the potato will stay the same, for we think cell wall will help maintain the cell
shape. It is possibly an error when the experimenters read the scale on the graduated cylinder to
measure the volume of potato; the scale change is so close by 0.5-1 ml., so it is likely for us to
have misread the scale either before or after the test.
In salt solution, it is considered a hypertonic solution to jelly and potato cell as it is more
concentrated. Based on prior study of osmosis, water will leave the jelly and potato. We can see
that the mass of both relatively decrease compared to the ones in distilled water; the mass of
jelly increases slightly and might result from the close concentration of salt solution and jelly,
which has quite much sugar (salt solution is maybe very slightly less concentrated to the jelly),
but another likely reason is the error when we measure the weight of jelly when it is still wet; the
weight of water may be added. For potato, the mass really decreases; however, its volume
increases which is contradictory to the mass change while the volume of jelly is the same, not as
we predicted in the hypothesis that the volume of jelly will decrease, and the volume of potato
will be the same with the help of cell wall. It can be assumed that the salt solution isn’t so
concentrated that jelly may be more concentrated; at the same time, the error tended to occur
when measuring volume of the potato in both solutions.
To improve the experiment, we should eliminate errors by drying the tested substances
before weighing, more carefully read the scale of the graduated cylinder and use more people to
confirm the measurement, test for a longer time period to see significant changes, and increase
the concentration of the salt solution to be more contrast to the substances’ concentration.

Conclusion
In summary, this lab tests the effect of placing different substances-jelly and potato-into
a hypotonic and hypertonic solution which are distilled water and salt solution respectively. The
hypothesis about changes in mass of both is overall supported---the mass of jelly in salt solution
isn’t exactly like the hypothesis but relatively correspond to it. It appears that placing both
substances in hypotonic solution results in the gaining of weight and placing substances in
hypertonic solution results in losing of weight comparatively. Yet, the hypothesis about changes
in volume of both especially potato is not supported; the conclusion about the how volumes
change in these solutions cannot be drawn because of the potential errors when measuring,
which results in the contradiction of volume to mass change. Another factor might be the
concentration of the hypertonic solution that isn’t significantly distinct, so the changes in mass
and volume of substances are not obvious.

Reference
Windelspecht, M. & Mader, S. (2014). Biology eleventh edition. New York, YK: McGraw-Hill