In this investigation, I intend to perform a fair and safe test into the water potential of potato cells.

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An Investigation to find the Water Potential of Potato Cells.

In this investigation, I intend to perform a fair and safe test into the water potential of potato cells.

Osmosis

‘Osmosis is the movement of water molecules across a partially permeable membrane from a region of high water potential to a region of low water potential’

Model:

In this experiment I will fill 5 test tubes with a sugar solution, each will contain a different percentage of sucrose ranging between 0% and 20%. In each test tube there will also be 2 cylinders of potato. Over a period of time some potato pieces will gain mass and others will lose mass. My aim is to get as close to the concentration of sucrose in which no mass is gained or lost in the potato cylinder. This means that I am trying to get as close to the position where the water potential in the potato cylinder is equal to that of the surrounding sucrose solution. After the experiment the potato cylinders will be placed upon a balance separately and the results will tell me if I have succeeded in finding the solution in which no mass is gained or lost in the potato cells.  

Safety

As safety is very important, I will always be conscious of general laboratory safety. The most dangerous part of the experiment is cutting the potato, so I will make sure I do not cut myself with the cork borer by slicing a small amount off the bottom of the potato. This will give me a steady platform to use the cork borer and I will use the cork borer by pointing it downwards and pressing it into the potato.

A Fair Test

A fair test is when an experiment that is being conducted is conducted as accurately as can be expected, making sure that all the variables are kept constant to the best of the person’s ability. This is very important because if the test conducted isn’t a fair one, then the results are obviously going to be inaccurate.

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I am going to make sure my test is fair by:

  • Keeping the shape and size of each potato cylinder as constant as possible, if this was not done then the amount of water being able to be taken in by the cylinder would be different for each
  • Using potatoes from the same batch if more than one potato is required, which will help my results to be as constant and as accurate as possible.
  • Making sure the temperature is the same for all of my cylinders, because the warmer the temperature the faster osmosis takes ...

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