Osmosis Experiment

Osmosis Experiment

Planning

Aim:

The main subject that I will be planning to investigate is the effects

of a concentrated sucrose solution on potato cells on the basis of the

Osmosis theory.

Background knowledge:

The plant cell and its structure

To understand osmosis in detail I will need to explain the plant cell

(which is the cell included in the osmosis experiment) and its cell

membrane. Below I have a diagram of a plant cell:

[IMAGE]

Osmosis is about the movement of particles from a higher concentrated

solution to a lower concentrated solution to create an ethical balance

via a partially or semi permeable cell membrane. Osmosis in simple

terms is the exchange of particles between the cytoplasm inside the

cell and the solution outside the cell. What makes

this exhange is the partially permable cell membrane. This cell

membrane plays an important part in Diffusion.

Cell membrane and Diffusion

Diffusion is the movement of the molecules of gas or liquids from a

higher concentrated region to a lower concentration through the

partially permeable cell membrane along a concentraion gradient. This

explanation is in the diagram shown below:

[IMAGE]

Turgor

When a plant cell is placed in a dilute solution or a less

concentrated solution then the water particles pass through the

partially permeable membrane and fill the cell up with water. The cell

then becomes Turgor or hard. An example of this is a strong

well-watered plant.

Plasmolysis

However when the plant cell is placed in a more concentrated solution

the water inside the cell passes out the cell. The cytoplasm...

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Conclusion

In my conclusion, the potatoes with the lowest concentration gained

the most mass, and would become hard relating back to the Turgor

theory I stated earlier. In contrast to this, the potatoes in the most

concentrated solution lost the most weight thus becoming plasmolysed

and limp also relating back to the background I have mentioned

earlier.

Evaluation

In general the experiment was succesful the results were consistent

and also were in accordance with the theories made at the start.. The

experiment could have been improved by:

· More subjects used instead of potatoes

· More potatoes

· Wider time ranger

· Different molarities

Using this variety of methods could have improved the experiemnt,

however I was generally satisfied with the results of this osmosis

experiement.