Finding the Relationship Between Turgidity of Potato Cells and the Concentration of the Surrounding Medium

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Finding the Relationship Between Turgidity of Potato Cells and the Concentration of the Surrounding Medium

Planning

Aim:

To find the relationship between turgidity of potato cells and the

concentration of the surrounding medium.

Prediction:

I predict that when the potato chip is put into the solutions, water

will pass from the weaker solution into the stronger solution. For

example, when a potato chip is put into distilled water, the water

will pass from the distilled water into the potato cells, making it

more turgid because the cells now have more water in them. When a

potato chip is put into 1M sugar solution, the water from the potato

cells will pass into the sugar solution because the solution inside

the potato cells is weaker than the solution in the test tube. This

will cause the potato cells to lose water making the chip limp or

flaccid.

I also predict that since potato cells gain and lose water, the weight

will also change. A turgid potato chip will be heavier than a flaccid

one. My predictions are based upon my knowledge on osmosis and cell

function.

Hypothesis:

The turgidity of potato cells are affected by the concentration of the

surrounding medium, which in this case will be the differently

concentrated solutions of sugar. The mass of the potato chips will

also be affected.

Preliminary Work:

Before conducting the real experiment, I did two practice tests. These

were done:

(I) to give me an idea of the results that were likely to take place

(II) in order to correct any mistakes that I make.

(III) to adjust any measurements to produce better results.

(IV) to determine all the variables of the experiment

In the first test, I filled 5 test tubes with the following solutions:

distilled water, 0.25M sucrose, 0.5M sucrose, 0.75M sucrose and 1M

sucrose. Then I cut out five potato chips with potato borers. Then I

put chips into the solutions and started a stopwatch. I waited for 30

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