sucrose concentration affects potato cells

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Syazana Asmuni

12 b

How do solutions of various concentrations affect potato cells?

Aim: Do the masses of potato cells change when affected with different concentrations of sucrose?

Hypothesis: The lower the concentration of sucrose, the higher the mass of the potato piece.

Justification: The more dilute a sucrose solution is, the more water there is. Since osmosis is the movement of water from high water concentration to low water concentration through a partially permeable membrane, it is expected that the higher concentration of water in sucrose with low molarity will increase the mass of potato cells. Therefore, a hypotonic sucrose solution (low molarity) will increase the mass of potato pieces as potato cells will become turgid as water enter the cells and hypertonic sucrose solutions will decrease the mass of potato pieces as water will move outside of the potato cells to a less water-concentrated solution.

Variables

Independent:

Concentration/molarity of sucrose – 0.00M (water only), 0.25M, 0.50M, 0.75M, 1.00M (sucrose only

Dependent: The mass of potato pieces

Controlled:

  • Size of potato pieces (5.4×0.5mm)
  • Temperature of solution and surrounding temperature
  • Volume of solutions (20cm³)
  • Size and type of test tubes (boiling tubes)
  • Time taken submerging potato pieces in sucrose solution (30 minutes)
  • Make sure all test tubes are at the same place – to get the same temperature/condition. (in the lab)
  • 3 trials
  • Blot dry all of the potato pieces (1 second on each side)
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Apparatus

  1. 1M sucrose solution
  2. cutting board
  3. knife
  4. water
  5. test tubes and rack
  6. measuring cylinders
  7. timers
  8. labels
  9. balance
  10. ruler

Method

  1. Collect apparatus listed above.
  2. Cut out 15 pieces (3 trials) of potato strips with equal size. (5.4×0.5mm)
  3. Measure the mass of each of the potato pieces and record them
  4. With a measuring cylinder, measure 20cm³ of 1M sucrose for the first test tube
  5. Decrease the molarity by adding water to the rest of the test tubes with molarities of 0.75M, 0.5M, 0.25M and 0.00M (water only)
  6. Drop five potato pieces into the five ...

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