The Effect Of Sucrose Solutions On Water Potential

The Effect of Sucrose Solutions on Water Potential

Ronak P. Patel

South Western High School

The Effect of Sucrose Solutions on Water Potential

Results

Table 1: Raw Data for 3 Trials (Initial Weight and Final Weight)

Cups

Cup 1

Cup 2

Cup 3

Cup 4

Cup 5

Cup 6

Cup 7

Solution

Solution 1

Solution 2

Solution 3

Solution 4

Solution 5

Solution 6

Water

Cell

Potato

Potato

Potato

Potato

Potato

Potato

Potato

Initial

Weight (T1)

1.31g

0.79g

0.84g

0.90g

0.63g

1.00g

0.62g

Final Weight (T1)

1.28g

0.80g

0.85g

0.97g

0.71g

1.01g

0.74g

% change (T1)

-2.29%

1.27%

1.19%

7.78%

12.70%

1.00%

19.35%

Initial Weight (T2)

1.12g

0.69g

0.63g

0.49g

0.86g

0.99g

0.72g

Final Weight (T2)

1.08g

0.79g

0.63g

0.56g

0.90g

1.02g

0.80g

% Change (T2)

-4.00%

Table 2 shows the average percent change from the three trials. The average percentages were calculated by adding the percentages from the three trials for each cup and then dividing by three which was the number of trials. The calculations used to calculate water potential for each of the solutions are shown. The formula for solute potential used was -iCRT. Figure 1 shows the graph of the different sucrose solutions in relation to the water potential of those solutions.

My hypothesis in this lab was that as the concentration of the sucrose solution increased, the water potential will decrease. I feel confident in the results because I feel that the procedure went according to as planned. To ensure validity of the final results, there were three trials completed. In addition to that, there was precision and accuracy taken into computing the calculations needed in this lab such as the water potential, solute potential, percentages and ultimately the the average percentages from the three trials. The lab could have been more refined if there was more time given to complete this. Time would have given more accurate results. In addition, the results would also be precise. As previously mentioned, sources of error could have been from collecting the data or a mix up with the three trials that were completed. Measuring probably could not have impacted the results because the weight was taken from an electronic scale that was properly “zeroed out” each time before a “cell” was measured. This lab could be modified to measure the weight of the solution before and after the interaction with the cell model. This would allow the observations of whether the cell took in solution or not. A weakness in this experiment is the use of only one type of “cell” and this can be easily improved by the addition of other cell models to represent a cell interacting with its surrounding