Osmosis in potato cells investigation!
Aim: To demonstrate how osmosis works in plant cells.
Materials:
Method:
(1) Place 10 mL of distilled water in one test tube
(2) Place 10 mL of the weak sugar solution in the second test tube
(3) Place 10 mL of the strong sugar solution in the third test tube
(4) Place one potato chip into each test tube
(5) Wait 30 minutes and record your observations
Observations:
Distilled water – Before we placed the potato inside of the tube, it was a normal stiff 6.1cm piece of potato, but now it looks fluffy, it looks like a feather. The colour of it is yellow/white. It has little bumps on the side, but it is still the same length, 6.1cm.
Weak sugar solution – The colour of the potato was originally white but it has now turned orange/yellow. It has shrunk from 6.1cm to 5.6cm. Instead of looking like a piece of potato, it looks a pineapple slice.
Strong sugar solution – It was first 6.3cm long but it is now shrunk down to 5.9cm. The colour of the piece is yellow/white.
Results:
Which potato increased in size? None.
Which chip got shorter? Weak sugar solution and Strong sugar solution both decreased in size.
Feel the chip in the distilled water. Why does it feel firm? Because when the Potato is placed in water, the water will move into the potato, through the cell membranes, which causes the potato to swell.
Materials:
- 3x test tubes
- test tube rack
- distilled water
- weak sugar solution
- strong sugar solution
- measuring cylinder
Method:
(1) Place 10 mL of distilled water in one test tube
(2) Place 10 mL of the weak sugar solution in the second test tube
(3) Place 10 mL of the strong sugar solution in the third test tube
(4) Place one potato chip into each test tube
(5) Wait 30 minutes and record your observations
Observations:
Distilled water – Before we placed the potato inside of the tube, it was a normal stiff 6.1cm piece of potato, but now it looks fluffy, it looks like a feather. The colour of it is yellow/white. It has little bumps on the side, but it is still the same length, 6.1cm.
Weak sugar solution – The colour of the potato was originally white but it has now turned orange/yellow. It has shrunk from 6.1cm to 5.6cm. Instead of looking like a piece of potato, it looks a pineapple slice.
Strong sugar solution – It was first 6.3cm long but it is now shrunk down to 5.9cm. The colour of the piece is yellow/white.
Results:
Which potato increased in size? None.
Which chip got shorter? Weak sugar solution and Strong sugar solution both decreased in size.
Feel the chip in the distilled water. Why does it feel firm? Because when the Potato is placed in water, the water will move into the potato, through the cell membranes, which causes the potato to swell.