The Effect of Changing Solute Concentration on Osmosis in Potato Tissue

1986 Words4 Pages

The Effect of Changing Solute Concentration on Osmosis in Potato Tissue

Aim

The aim of the investigation is to find out the effect of changing

solute concentration on osmosis in potato tissue.

Prediction

I predict that if the solute solution is more concentrated than the

potato, the potato chip with the more water potential will lose water,

so if the potato chip is placed into a dilute solute solution, the

potato will gain water. Here's the example- if the original cells is

5g then and placed into a diluted solute solution the mass will raise

to 7g. And if the potato chip is to be placed into a concentrated

solution, the potato chip's mass will drop to around 3g. I predict

this because of the process of osmosis.

Diffusion is the movement of particles from a region of its high

concentration to a region of its concentration. Osmosis is a special

kind of diffusion which involves water.

The definition of osmosis is - 'the net movement of water molecules

from a region of high water potential to a region of low water

potential across a semi- permeable membrane.'

[IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE] [IMAGE]

This is a diagram showing where water from the dilute solute solution

on the left passes through the semi- permeable membrane and moving

into the high concentrated solute solution on the right.

If we add a potato tissue into a diluted solute solution, this makes

the solute solution have a higher water potential compared to the

potato tissue. Therefore the water from the surrounding solute

solution will move into the potato chip to try and balance the water.

This makes the potato chip to rise in mass by increase in water. When

the cells have gained lot of water and they are strong, we call these

cells turgid.

Gaining Water through osmosis

Normal Cell

Turgid Cell

[IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE] [IMAGE] [IMAGE]

Therefore, if we add a potato tissue into a concentrated solute

solution, this make the solute solution have a lower water potential

Open Document