To investigate the effect of varying concentration of a certain sugar solutions on the amount of osmotic activity between the solution and a potato chip of a given size.

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               Ahmed Abdulla 10pl. Biology coursework, osmosis                                                    

   

                 

                           

 What happens when plant tissue is bathed in water and sucrose solution?

I am going to investigate the change in size and weight of a potato when bathed in the water, dilute sugar solution and concentrated sucrose. This investigation will take place under the Osmosis theory. Osmosis will cause the water molecules to travel in and out of the plant cell.  

Aim:

To investigate the effect of varying concentration of a certain sugar solutions on the amount of osmotic activity between the solution and a potato chip of a given size.

Method

  • First we are going to collect 6 boiling tubes each containing a concentration of sugar solution between 0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0 Mol DM -3.

  • We will then get a Cork borer of size 3; we will then insert it through the potato so we could achieve our cylindrical shape.

  • We will then measure out the potato samples to 3cm using the Vernier callipers. We will cut the potato samples for fine adjustment.

  • We will then weigh the potato samples using the electronic weighing scales.

  • We will then place the 18 potato samples in the test tubes each containing the different type of solutions. We will have two test tubes for each amount of mol. Each test tube will contain 3 potato samples.

  • We will then leave the potato samples in the solutions for about half an hour. We will use one test tube for each Mol DM -3 which increases by 0.2 each time and then get an average.

  • We will then measure and weigh each of the potato samples. We will then record the differences onto a table of results.

Equipments list

  • Scalpel
  • Cork borer
  •  6 Test tubes
  • Test tube rack
  • Potato
  • Vernier callipers
  • Sugar solution
  • Chopping board
  • Water solution
  • Weighing scales

   

Why?

  • We will use a scalpel to cut the potato to the required length

  • We will use a cork borer to collect our potato samples in a cylindrical shape.

  • We will get 6 test tubes because each test tube will contain 3 potato samples and a recorded concentration of solution.

  • We will collect a test tube rack so we can place the test tubes inside it.

  • I will use a potato to collect my samples because it’s a plant and it’s what we were asked to investigate.

  • We will use vernier callipers to measure the potato samples so we could measure them to two decimal places.

  • We will use different concentrations of sugar solution so we can investigate the changes between different concentrations.

  • I will use a weighing scale to measure the weight of the potato samples accurately before and after the investigation.

To make this experiment as productive as possible I will be varying the concentration of the sucrose. The concentration of sucrose will vary from 0.0. to 1.0 Mol DM -3.

To make this experiment as accurate as possible, I am going to collect two types of results and then achieving the average. I am also going to use vernier capillaries which will give me results to 2 decimal places which will keep the measurements as accurate as possible. In order of keeping the weights as accurate as possible I will be using electrical weighing scales.

I am going to do the following things in order to make this experiment a fair test:

  • For the purpose of my experiment I am going to do all the experiments at room temperature.
  •  the water potential of the potato initially will be kept the same by using the same type of potato, which have been treated in the same way, e.g. have all been cut without being washed and peeled.
  • The mass of the potato is a dependent variable, and this means that it will be measured throughout the experiment. I will measure the mass in grams. The potato chip will be measured before it is put in the solution, and after. This will allow us to see whether osmosis has taken place, and to what extent.
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  • The volume of the solution that the potato chips are kept in must be fair. The must be totally covered in the solution, and the amount of solution will be kept the same because all the potato chips are roughly same size.
  • I am also going to use the same balance to weigh my potato chips. This is because the measurements may slightly vary between scales. We used an electronic scale for highest accuracy.
  • I am going to use the same type of potato for every single sample.
  • The same person in my group will be doing the ...

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