Investigate the water potential of beetroot tissue using experiments and your own knowledge.

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Biology Coursework

Aim:

Investigate the water potential of beetroot tissue using experiments and your own knowledge.

Background Information

Definition - "the net movement of water molecules from a region of higher water potential to a region of lower water potential along the concentration gradient across a semi-permeable membrane..."

Osmosis is a very special example of diffusion. It is the movement of liquid molecules across or through a barrier. An example might be the uptake of water by the roots of a plant. The water moves across the barrier if there is less water on the other side, i.e. if there is less water in the root cells than in the soil. The water enters the plant root cells by crossing the cell wall. The membrane inside the cell wall is an example of a semi-permeable membrane. This means that it will allow certain molecules to pass through it but not others. It acts rather like a filter. Water and minerals are small enough to pass through the plant's membranes. This process is essential for the survival of the plant.

Many membranes allow all or none of the particles of a solution to pass through,