Investigation of Factors Affect Osmosis in Potatoes

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Investigation of Factors Affect Osmosis in Potatoes

Aim

The aim of the following experiment was to investigate the effect of

varying the concentration of sucrose solution on osmosis in a potato.

Preliminary Experiments

One preliminary experiment was done before the main experiment. From

the preliminary, we were trying to find out how osmosis actually

occurred in potatoes, and gave us a vague idea on what the main

experiment would be like.

This preliminary will aid my prediction, which is stated below. The

following apparatus was used for the preliminary:

* 1 large potato (skin intact)

* 3 boiling tubes

* Set of cork borers

* Scalpel

* Balance (accurate to 2 decimal places)

* Distilled water

* 0.5M sucrose solution

* 1.0M sucrose solution

* Dropping pipette

* Boiling tube rack

* Measuring cylinder (accurate to 1cm3)

* White tile

Take a large uncooked potato, with the skin still on, and with the

cork borer, cut out three "tubes" of potato. Do this onto a white

tile, so you don't cut your fingers or wreck the bench. Take a ruler

and measure these tubes, and, if necessary, cut off any excess until

they are all the same length. The same potato must be used; otherwise

it will not be a fair test (because different potatoes may have

different osmotic properties).

To ensure the experiment is as safe as possible, ensure you don't

injure yourself using the cork borers. Also, we are using a sharp

knife, so caution is needed there. Even though the sucrose solutions

aren't poisonous, we are not 100% sure, therefore no sucrose solution

will enter us.

Weigh the three tubes of potato, and record down the mass. Take the

three boiling tubes, and fill 1 with 10cm3 of 1M sucrose solution, one

with 10cm3 0.5M sucrose solution and one with 10cm3 of distilled

water.

Label each tube clearly, then drop each potato tube into each boiling

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