Report 2

The Effect of Salt on a Potato 1
The Effect of Salt on a Potato
Angie Oliva
The Greene School

The effect of Salt on a Potato 2
Abstract
This experiment was done in front of the class rather than a group of students. The experiment
was based on how osmosis works by putting a potato in two beakers filled with 200 ml of water.
Osmosis is the movement of water or other solvent through a plasma membrane from a region of
low solute concentration to a region of high solute concentration, tending to equalise the
concentrations of the solutes. We tested how osmosis works by putting a potato in two beakers
filled with 200 ml of water. One of the beakers had salt water and the other one had freshwater.
We measured the mass of each potato before leaving it alone for 24 hours, then measured the
mass after leaving it for 24 hours. Just like all plants , the potato already had water in its cell
which let water leave the cells. I hypothesized that if salt is added to the potato in the beaker, the
mass will decrease because the difference in concentration will result in the water moving out of
the potato, and the mass will decrease. My hypothesis was proven because after the experiment
the potato had lost 1.04 grams. This experiment proved how osmosis works because we
witnessed the water go from the low salt concentration place (inside the potato cells) to a high
concentration place (outside in the water and salt solution. We were pretty successful in
demonstrating this.
Description:
In class we have been discussing cell transport and osmosis. Osmosis is the process of a
solvent movement through a membrane and goes from low to high concentration. There’s
passive and active transport but this experiment is passive which means no energy is required.
For this lab, we compared two different beakers with water and a potato slice, one of them had
salt and the other one didn’t. The independent variable was the salt that was added to the beaker
and the dependent variable was the potato mass changes. If salt is added to the potato in the
beaker, the mass will decrease because the difference in concentration will result in the water
moving out of the potato, and the mass will decrease.
Materials and Methods:
1. 2 slices of potatoes
2. Salt
3. Water
4. Weighing Plate
5. Beaker with pure water of 150 mil
6. 2nd Beaker filled with salt water 150 mil
First thing you have to do is fill one beaker up with 200 mL of distilled water and the other one
with 200 mL of salt water. Use a knife and carefully cut two slices of potato, they should look
similar in size. Weigh and record the mass of both potato slices. Put a potato slice in each beaker
and leave alone for 24 hours. After 24 hours record the mass of the potatoes and analyze your
results.
Results:
Potato Slice Before Potato Slice After

Experiment (grams) Experiment (grams)
Fresh Water 10.4 13.24
Salt Water 8.79 7.75
Observations:
As seen in the table above, we can see that the potato in the freshwater actually increased in mass
and the potato in the salt water decreased in mass. The freshwater potato increased by 2.84 and
the saltwater potato decreased by 1.04. The observation I made was that the freshwater potato
was really firm and it didn’t change much in color or texture. On the other hand, the salt water
potato became slimy and dull. The color was darker and it had the most change. The salt water
had more effect on the potatoes.
Analysis:
The relashionship between the IV and the DV and how osmosis works was really shown
in this lab. The relashionship with the salt and the mass of the potatoes shows that water moves
to an area of less salt or more salt and when the potato is placed in there the water inside the
potato will move out by osmosis.

Conclusion:
My hypothesis was proven at the end of this experiment because the potato that had salt
added had a decrease in mass when it was actually supposed to gain weight because the water
was supposed to go into the potato, making it heavier. The concept of Osmosis and Cell
trsanportation was very well shown by this expirmament. Active transport is the movement of
molecules or ions from an area of lower to higher concentration. Passive transport is the
movement of molecules or ions from an area of higher to lower concentration. Water molecules
are observesd to have moved from a place where they are highly concentrated to the region
where they are highly concentrated to the region where they are low concentrated allowing
certain substances to pass through but others not. The salt water potato lost weight due to
osmosis which is a form of passive transport and doesn’t require any energy. This happened
because the water moved out of the potato cells (where there was less salt concentration) and
stays in the actual water and salt solution (where there’s the most salt concentration).

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The Effect of Salt on a Potato 1

The Effect of Salt on a Potato

The Greene School

moving out of the potato, and the mass will decrease.

Materials and Methods:

5. Beaker with pure water of 150 mil

6. 2nd Beaker filled with salt water 150 mil

Potato Slice Before Potato Slice After

Fresh Water 10.4 13.24

Salt Water 8.79 7.75

had more effect on the potatoes.

potato will move out by osmosis.

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