The Effect of Solution Concentration on Osmosis

The Effect of Solution Concentration on Osmosis

The aim of my experiment is to find out the effect of sucrose solution

concentration on osmosis in potato cylinders. To do this I will

conduct an experiment.

Introduction

To carry out my experiment, I will place the potato tubes into a

solution containing part sucrose and part water. The potato tubes will

all be cut out of the potato using a cork borer and will all be cut to

the length of 25mm. This will remain constant throughout each

experiment. Each of the 5 times I do the experiment, I will increase

the concentration of the solution by 0.25 mols/dm³, starting from just

water in, going up to 0.25 mols/dm³, 0.50 mols/dm³, 0.75 mols/dm³ and

finally 1.00 mol/dm³. The solution shall be my variable.

The other variables I could have used are:

- The temperature of the solution.

- The size of the potato cylinders.

- The amount of solution.

- The time left in the solution.

I will test each solution 3 times to reduce any anomalous results.

After I have kept the potato tube in the solution for 60 minutes, I

will take it out and re-measure it, I will then calculate the average

of all three experiments and then calculate the difference between the

final average length and the original length. This will allow me to

plot a graph and determine the effect of the different concentration

of sucrose solution on the potato tube.

To ensure a fairer test I shall keep the potato tubes all equal sized.

I shall make sure the volume of solution is the same each time. I

shall make sure the potato tubes are all kept in the solution for the

same amount of time. I shall make sure t...

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...0.80 mols/dm³, 0.90 mols/dm³, and 1.00

mol/dm³. This would help to increase the accuracy of my results. As

humans can not be 100% accurate as recording data, would have measured

the mass of the potato cylinder as well as the length as the mass can

be calculated by an electronic scale that is more accurate then I can

measure. Another thing I could change if I repeated the experiment is

the length of time I kept the potato in the solution as I only kept

the potato cylinder in the solution for 60 minutes, but it takes

around 24 hours for osmosis to reach its equilibrium. So I would have

kept the potato in the solution for 24 hours. Also the use of a

burette instead of a measuring cylinder when adding my solutions to

the test tube would have increased the accuracy of my experiment. But

overall I am pleased with my results.