Investigating the water potential of potato discs in different concentrations of sucrose solution
Investigating the water potential of potato discs in different concentrations of sucrose solution
Background knowledge
Osmosis can be defined as the movement of water from an area of high water potential to an area of lower water potential through a semi permeable membrane. Osmosis only concerns the movement of water molecules compared with diffusion.
Plant cells depend on water for survival and the main movement of water into plant cells is done through the process of osmosis. Plant cells take up water by osmosis and they start to swell due to the water pressure. Plant cells continue to swell until they are prevented from swelling anymore by the cell wall. At this point the plant is turgid which basically means swollen and hard. This turgid state is very important to plants as it allows them to elongate and absorb more sunlight.