Biology: Osmosis Lab by
Biology: Osmosis Lab by
Biology: Osmosis Lab by
Osmosis Lab
By:
Section 1002
March 6, 2017
Introduction
Purpose
The purpose of this experiment is to understand more about osmosis reaction by putting
the jellies and potatoes into distilled water and salt water and observe the changes that occur
Hypothesis
Question: How will soaking the jelly in distilled water affect the size of candy?
If putting jelly into distilled water, then the size (mass, and volume) of jelly will increase (it will
be swell).
Question: How will soaking the jelly in concentration salt water affect the size of candy?
If put the jelly in the concentration salt water, then the size (mass, and volume) of jelly will
decrease.
Question: How will soaking the potato in distilled water affect the size?
If put the potato in distilled water, then the size (volume, and mass) of potato will increase.
Question: How will soaking the potato in concentration salt water affect the size?
If put the potato in concentrated concentrated salt water, the size (mass, and volume) of potato
will decrease.
Materials
6 Beakers (3 for jelly, 3 for potato)
Electronic Balance
Distilled water
Concentrated salt water
3 jellies
3 potato pieces
Calculator
Knife
Weighing paper
Marker
Gloves
Lab coat
Goggles
Methods:
Collect the materials that your group needs (3 Jelly and Half a Potato)
Use the knife to cut the potato into 3 equal pieces
Use the electronic balance to find the mass of your jelly. Remember to lay down a piece
of weighing paper and set to zero.
Record your data
Record descriptive observations about the jelly prior to the experiment.
Measure the initial volume of the jelly and the potato and record your data.
Fill your 1st beaker halfway with distilled water. Put one of your jelly into the beaker. Set
the beaker aside for one hour. Label the beaker using marker.
Fill your 2st beaker with concentrated salt solution halfway. Put your 2nd jelly into that
beaker. Set beaker aside for one hour. Label the beaker using marker.
Put your 3rd jelly into an empty beaker without putting anything in it. That should be your
control.
Put the 4th beaker halfway with distilled water. Put one of your potato pieces into the
beaker. Set the beaker aside for one hour. Label the beaker.
Put the 5th beaker halfway with concentrated salt solution halfway. Put your second
potato pieces into that beaker and set it aside for an hour. Label the beaker.
Place your last piece of potato pieces into the last beaker, empty. That is your control for
the potato. Label the beaker.
Make sure you label all the beakers distilled water or concentrated salt solution with
some markers.
After one hour, come back and look at each of the beakers and record the data volume
and mass of both the jellies in two beaker and both the potato in two other beakers.
Also record the descriptive data for what the jelly and the potato look like now after
being soaker for an hour.
Calculate the percent change in the size of each jelly and potato
Data Table A: The volume and mass of two jellies before and after soaking in distilled water and
salt water
Jelly 1 : Jelly 2 :
Data Table B: The volume and mass of two potatoes before and after soak in distilled water and
salt water.
Potato 1: Potato 2:
Data Table C: The Observation about structure of two jellies before and after soaking in water
and salt water.
Jelly 1: Jelly 2:
Data Table E: The percent change in volume and mass of jellies before and after soaking in
water and salt water.
Jelly 1 (Color): Soaked in Distilled Jelly 2 (Color): Soaked in
Water Jelly Salt Water
Data Table F: The percent change in volume and mass of potatoes before and after soaking in
water and salt water.
2. What happened to the potatoes after being soaked in distilled water and salt water for an hour?
Ans.
According to the osmosis reaction, the water will move across the membrane from high to low
concentration of water or to the side that has more solute, hypertonic. From this theory, we can
see that after we soaking potato in distilled water, the mass increased from 2.45g to 2.95g
because the distilled water come into potato making the potato swell. That means the potato has
more solute than the solution which is distilled water so the potato is hypertonic and the solution
is hypotonic. The volume decreases from 2.43 mL to 2.0 mL. However, there might be some
errors from the experiment because the mass of jelly increased while the volume decreased so
these result were not related to each other,
On the other hand, the mass of potato that put in salt water decreased from 2.44 g to 2.05 g
because the water in potato moved out to the salt water making the potato to shrink. In addition,
the potato is hypotonic and the solution which is salt water was hypertonic. That means solution
has more solute than potato. Also, the volume of jelly decreased too because the solution was
begin to dissolve into the potato.
Conclusion
If putting jelly or potato into the hypotonic solution (distilled water), the water will move inside
the jelly or potato and make it swell (the size, and mass will increased). On the other hand, if
putting jelly or potato into the hypertonic solution (concentrated salt water), the water will move
out of jelly or potato and make it shrink (the size and mass will be decreased).
Work log:
Name Job/Responsibility
5. DD Data A, Data B