Determining Potato Tissue

Cells and molecules in the environment are constantly moving and changing, for cells to function properly there is a need for equilibrium to be met. The size of the cell and the solution outside of the cell affects the rate of diffusion and osmosis in the cell. Cells are constantly trying to reach an equilibrium with the molecules and substances around it, which is why there are such terms as: hypertonic, hypotonic and isotonic. The procedures allowed testing of whether or not surface area or volume increased diffusion and how different substance control diffusion. Cells are constantly moving to reach equilibrium through diffusion and osmosis.

In this experiment we estimated the osmolarity of potato tuber tissue by submersing different potato cores into sucrose solutions of 0.0-0.6M, and weighing the potato. We concluded that the osmolarity of the potato was about 0.4M since the weight of the potato did not change after it was incubated in the solution

As the Concentration of the Sucrose Solution decreases, the more the potato’s mass increases. This is due to the solution being hypertonic. So, as the solute concentration gets lower, the potato’s water concentration will get higher, therefore more water particles from the solution will absorbed by the potato. Some changed very little in mass because the concentrations of the H2O molecules in the potato and outside the potato were equal. This equality in concentration is called Isotonic.

Osmosis is the diffusion of water across a membrane to create an equilibrium between the levels of concentration of a solute both inside and outside the cell. In this case the solute will be sugar as the potato core will be immersed in sucrose solution.

The graph above indicates that as the concentration of sucrose solution (%) is increased, the percentage change in mass decreases, thus it can be supposed that there is a negative correlation between the sucrose concentrations and the mass of potato cubes. It is also apparent from the graph above that an error has occurred during the 15% sucrose trial as it appears as an outlier also it can be estimated from the graph that approximately10% sucrose solution is the isotonic condition as there is no big change in mass.

By definition, osmosis is the diffusion of water across a selectively permeable membrane in response to gradients of concentration, pressure, or temperature (G. Audesirk, T. Audesirk, B. Byers). Diffusion is the passive movement of molecules or particles along a concentration gradient, or from regions of higher to regions of lower concentration (Diffusion). In the experiment, osmosis and diffusion occurred where the results indicated a change in mass when the egg was placed in different concentrations of corn syrup solution. My hypothesis stated that if the concentration of the solute is lower than the solvent, then the egg will shrink in size. With a majority of the results decreasing in weight, my hypothesis was proven to be correct.

An investigation of the glucose concentration of the cell sap in potato cells In this experiment I intend to investigate the effects of osmosis on potato cells. Specifically, I intend to use my knowledge of osmosis to investigate the glucose concentration of the cell sap in potato cells. Osmosis is a method by which water levels on either side of a semi permeable membrane may balance themselves. It occurs between regions of high water concentration and low water concentration.

Osmosis is defined as the tendency of water to flow through a semipermeable membrane to the side with a lower solute concentration. Water potential can be explained by solutes in a solution. The more positive a number is more likely it will lose water. Therefore should water potential be negative the cell the less likely it will lose water. In using potatoes the effects of the molarity of sucrose on the turgidity of plant cells. According to Clemson University, the average molarity of a White potato is between .24 M and .31 M when submerged in a sorbitol solution. This experiment was conducted with the purpose of explaining the relationship found between the mass in plants when put into varying concentrations of sucrose solutions. Should the potatoes be placed in a solution that contains 0.2M or .4M of sucrose solution it will be hypotonic and gain mass or if placed in .6M< it will be hypertonic and lose mass instead. Controlled Variables in this lab were: Composition of plastic cups, Brand of Russet Potatoes, Brand of Sweet Potatoes and the Temperature of the room. For independent variable that caused the results recorded it was the different Sucrose concentrations (0.0M, 0.2M, 0.4M, 0.6M, 0.8M, 1M). The dependent variable was the percentage change from the initial weighs to the final. The cup with .4 molarity was the closest to an isotonic solution and was used as the control group for the lab. Water potential is the free energy per mole of water. It is

Diffusion is the transfer of molecules from an area that has a higher concentration to an area that has a lower concentration. Osmosis is the diffusion of water. The purpose of this experiment was to study the process of osmosis. In order to test osmosis, eggs that had been soaking in vinegar were taken and placed in four beakers of solution with different levels of glucose. Using this experiment we were able to determine the rate of osmosis of different solutions, with various amounts of glucose, through eggs. In the results of this lab it was found that the eggs were either hypertonic or hypotonic and that the

Showing an example of diffusion with the water molecules equally back and forth the semi-permeable membrane of the potatoes and the saucer of water. The hypertonic solution of salt water has given an example of osmosis. The water molecules passed through the semi-permeable membrane out of the potatoes but weren’t able to get back in as easily due to the salt blocking the membranes passage. This left the potatoes in the salt water saucer feeling flexible and spongy almost leaving the potato a little

However one beaker received 100 mL of Deionized water with a molarity of 0.0. Afterwards a cork borer was pushed through the potato and was twisted back and forth. Once the borer was filled it was removed from the potato. Pushing the potato cylinder out of the borer, this this step was repeated six more times in order to get seven undamaged potato cylinders. Using a sharp razor blade, the potato cylinders were both cut to a uniform length of about 5cm, and were removed of their potato skins. The potato pieces were also cut in half to give the cells a greater surface area in which it was easier to absorb the solution. After the cylinders were weighed on a balance and the data was recorded in Table 4. Using the razor blade each potato was cut lengthwise into two long halves. Then the potato pieces were transferred to the water beaker and the time they were submerged was recorded. This step was repeated for all potato cylinders in which the pieces were placed in solutions 0.1 to 0.6 M. The potatoes were incubated for ninety minutes. At the end of the incubation period the time was recorded. Then the potato piece was removed form the first sample. Next potato pieces were weighed the and the final weight was recorded in Table 4. This procedure was repeated until all samples had been weighed and recorded in the chronological order they were initially placed in the test solution. Afterwards the table was completed by recording the

For this I was advised to use 5cm of peeled potato (a diameter of 1.2cm), distilled water and 1M sucrose solution. I had to make two potato cylinders and leave one in water and one in a 1M solution (each 30ml) for 15 minutes. I got the percentage change by measuring the potato 's length before and after the experiment. I did this to give me a rough idea of what to expect from this experiment and to change any variables to keep constant for my main experiment, like the time or the initial length. I carried this out and got this result (on a graph):

1. 5 sucrose solutions were made of increasing molarity: 0.2 M, 0.4 M, 0.6 M, 0.8 M, 1.0M. 2. 50 mL of each unknown solution were poured into 5 separate cups. A slice of potato was placed into 5 equal cylinders. 3. The mass of the 5 potato cylinders were then recorded. 4. The cylinders were placed into the foam cups with solution and covered with plastic wrap. It is to be left overnight. 5. The room temperature was recorded in Celsius. 6. The cylinders are then to be removed from the cups and carefully blotted of any excess solution. 7. The mass of the potato cylinders were recorded afterwards.

When plant tissues are immersed in sucrose solutions of different concentration, the cells will gain or lose water by osmosis and therefore change in size and mass. If the potato samples are immersed with hypertonic solution, the mass of samples will be reduced as the hypertonic solution has a higher solute concentration which makes the water move towards it. If the potato

Osmosis is the movement of water molecules from high concentration to low concentration through semipermeable membranes, caused by the difference in concentrations on the two sides of a membrane (Rbowen, L.). It occurs in both animals and plants cells. In human bodies, the process of osmosis is primarily found in the kidneys, in the glomerulus. In plants, osmosis is carried out everywhere within the cells of the plant (World Book, 1997). This can be shown by an experiment with potato and glucose/salt solution. The experiment requires putting a piece (or more) of potatoes into glucose or salt solution to see the result of osmosis (a hypertonic type of solution is mostly used as it would give the most prominent visual prove of