Potato Osmosis Lab Report

Osmosis Experiment with Parsnip Through Differing Concentration of

Sucrose

Aim: My main aim in this experiment is to find out if osmosis occurs in a parsnip, and how it affects the parsnip in a different concentration of sucrose solution and water

Plan:

I will first make a prediction using the knowledge I have on osmosis and I will then carry out the investigation to prove whether concentration affects osmosis in a potato. Using my results I will then try to find a pattern and prove my prediction to be correct or incorrect. After I have done that I will try and find ways in which I could improve the experiment and extend the investigation.

Apparatus 1. Parsnip

2. 70% of Sucrose

Knife

11. Cutting knife

12. Blotting Paper

13. Test tubes

14. Ruler

Method:

Simple Procedure: An experiment will be carried out involving putting parsnip in different concentration of sucrose and leaving them for an amount of time to see what changes occur, due to osmosis, and consequently enabling a conclusion to be formed as to the properties of the parsnip and the reasons.

1) Using the cork borer take six samples of potato from the same potato. Then using the scalpel cut the pieces of potato so they are twenty millimetres long. Remember to weigh the potato with the blotting paper pieces and record their weight in a table.

2) Take eight test tubes and place them in a rack, then add the different standard solution and distilled water, the distilled should be more than the standard solution.

3) Place the potato pieces in the test tubes; make sure they are covered with solution. Leave them there for ten minutes.

4) Take the potato pieces out carefully and blot it using blotting paper, measure their length and weight with blotting paper, record this in your table and repeat twice more

Diagram:

Key

The factors that I will control are the points in my fair test

Fair test:

To make this experiment a fair test I will use the same…

· Length potatoes- so that there is the same length of potato for osmosis to take place in.

· Room temperature- so that this doesn't affect the rate of reaction.

· Size cork borer- so that the size of the potato doesn't vary.

· Amount of sugar water- so that the potato pieces have no more or less sugar solution to absorb.

· Amount of time potatoes are left in sugar solution. - so that I can record accurate results.

Safety:

Safety is an important aspect in every experiment, even if the experiment seems to be very harmless. This is why I'll be taking this into consideration. I will be using a very sharp knife, which could injure someone if not handled properly. I will also be very careful that the solutions don't get into our bodies internally, because we are not fully aware of the damage it could do to us. I will also wear my lab coats so that I won't split sucrose solution of cloths.

Experiment

Volume of Standard solution