Laboratory 1

Diffusion and Osmosis

Paul Jones
Exercise 1A: Diffusion
Table 1.1

Presence of Glucose in Water Through Dialysis Bag

Presence of
Initial Contents Solution Color
Glucose
Initial Final Initial Final
15% Glucose & 1% Yes Yes
Bag Clear Indigo blue
Starch (1000+++) (500++)
Golde
No Yes
Beaker H2O + IKI n Golden orange
(100) (175)
orange
Analysis of Results

1. Glucose is leaving the bag, while Lugol’s solution is entering the bag. The
indigo blue color of the bag proves Lugol’s is entering the bag. We proved
that glucose diffused by testing the beaker, and found there to be glucose.
2. The results show that IKI moved from the beaker to the bag, and this is
how the color of the dialysis bag changed. This happened because it
wants to reach equilibrium. Conversely, glucose moved out of the bag.
Thus, everything except starch (for it is too large) diffused to reach
equilibrium.
3. In order to find how much water diffused into the dialysis bag, one would
need to calculate the percentages of each substance, and then recalculate
the percentages afterwards. Then, one would need to compare the
percentages with one another.
4. Water, glucose, IKI, membrane pores, and then starch. I know this
because starch did not leave the dialysis bag because the outside of the
bag did not turn blue. Thus, membrane pores are smaller than starch.
Then, I compared the atomic mass of the molecules in question.
5. If the experiment started with the glucose and IKI solution inside the bag
and only starch and water outside, glucose and IKI would want to move
out of the bag to reach equilibrium, and thus changing the color of the
contents of the beaker. The starch, however, would still not move through
because it is too large.
 Exercise 1B: Osmosis
Table 1.2: Dialysis Bag Results: Individual Date

Percent Change in Mass of Dialysis Bags –Group Data

Percent
Contents in Mass
Initial Mass Final Mass Change in
Dialysis Bag Difference
Mass

0.2 M Sucrose 25.3 grams 26.3 grams 1.2 grams 4.7%

0.4 M Sucrose 25.3 grams 26.4 grams 1.1 grams 4.3%

Table 1.3: Dialysis Bag Results: Class Data

Percent Change in Mass of Dialysis Bags–Class Data
Dialysis Bag Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4 Class Average
Distilled Water 2.7% -1% 0%
0.2 M Sucrose 6.9% 4.7% 5.8%
0.4 M Sucrose 4.3% 6.27% 7.3%
0.6 M Sucrose 14.17% 5.86% 10%
0.8 M Sucrose 6.64% 11% 13%
1.0 M Sucrose 17% 15.19% 16.4%
10a.) Molarity 10b.) Class average

Graph 1.1
Molarity Compared to Class Average

18%

16%

14%

12%

10%

8%

6% Average
Class
4%

2%

0%
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2
Molarity
Analysis of Results
1. As the molarity of sucrose increases in a solution, the percent change of
the mass increases as well, and thus, they as one increases, so does the
other. This can be explained by the fact that sucrose weighs more than
water.
2. In distilled water, the mass increases because sucrose has more mass.
Similarly, a 0.2M bag would increase because of the net move into the
bag. Conversely, in a 0.4M bag would remain the same because
equilibrium will have been reached. The trend dictates that in a 0.6M
through 1.0M the mass would decrease inside the bag because of
diffusion.
3. We used percent change because each bag had a different start and end
mass, and thus we could not accurately compare them. Additionally, the
graph would be difficult to read.
4.
Percent Change in
Initial Mass Final Mass Mass Differences
Mass
20.0 grams 18.0 grams -2.0 grams -10%
5. Hypotonic
 Exercise 1C: Water Potential
Table 1.4: Potato Core: Individual Date

Potato Core Results–Group Data

Class Average
Contents in Initial Final Mass Percent Change in Percent
Beaker Mass Mass Difference Mass Change in
Mass

0.2 M Sucrose 2.7 grams 2.7 grams 0.0 grams 0.0% 0%

0.4 M Sucrose 2.5 grams 2.0 grams 0.5 grams -20.0% -20.0%

Table 1.5: Potato Core Results: Class Data

Potato Core Results–Class Data

Content
Group Group Group Group Group Class
s in
1 2 3 4 5 Average
Beaker
0.0 M
Distilled 20.0% 22.0% 21.0%
Water
0.2 M
Sucros 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
e
0.4 M
Sucros -20.0% -24.0% -22.0%
e
0.6 M
Sucros -30.0% -27.0% -28.5%
e
0.8 M
Sucros -28.0% -43.0% -38.5%
e
1.0 M
Sucros -30.0% -20% -42.0%
e
Graph 1.2: Percent Change in Mass of Potato Cores at Different Molarites of
Sucrose

Percent Change in Mass of Potato Cores

at Different Molarites of Sucrose

30.00%
20.00%
10.00%

0.00%
-10.00% 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2

-20.00%
-30.00%
Potato Cores
-40.00%
-50.00%
Percent Change in Mass of
-60.00%
Sucrose Molarity within Beaker

Molar concentration of sucrose = .43M

Exercise 1D: Calculation of Water Potential from Experimental Data

2. (-1)(0.43 mole / liter)(0.0831 liter bar / mole °K)(295°K) = -10.541235 bars

Questions
1. The water potential of the potato core would decrease because all of the
water was allowed to evaporate from the potato core.
2. The cell is hypertonic because the solute concentration is higher than the
water concentration. Thus, the cell will gain water.
3. The pressure potential is equal to 0.
4. Dialysis bag.
5. The concentration of sucrose is greater outside the bag, and water will
always move to reach equilibrium if it can, thus, water will diffuse out of
the bag.
Graph 1.3

Percent Change in Mass of Zucchini

Cores at Different Molarites of Sucrose

30%

20%

10%

0%
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2
-10%
Zucchini
-20%

-30%
Percent Change in Mass of
-40%
Sucrose Molarity within Beaker

b. 0.35M
8a. -1(0.35 mole / liter)(0.0831 liter bar / mole °K)(295°K) = -8.5801
8b. 0 + -8.5801 = -8.5801 bars
10a. Distilled Water 10b. Distilled Water
10c. The RBC will expand for water will flow from areas of high concentration
to areas of low concentration.
Exercise E: Onion Cell Plasmolysis
1.

2.

The onion cells appear to have shriveled up.

3. The cells of the onion seem to have expanded back to their original size.
Newly added freshwater made the NaCL diffuse, reach concentration
gradient, and come to more acceptable levels for the onion (ie; closer to
normal).

Analysis of Results
1. Plasmolysis is the process in plant cells where the plasma membrane
pulls away from the cell wall due to the loss of water through osmosis.
2. The salt solution shrank the cytoplasm.
3. The ice combines with the salt to create a salty H2O solution. This solution
penetrates the cells of grass and cause it to plasmolisize.