Investigating the Osmosis Effect in Potato Cores

Investigating the Osmosis Effect in Potato Cores

Aim

The aim of this experiment is to investigate the osmosis effect in potato cores while they are submerged in different concentrations of sucrose solution. Osmosis will take place while the potatoes are fully submerged in the sucrose solution.

Apparatus

Ñ"ж Scalpel (1)

Ñ"ж Tile (1)

Ñ"ж Pr. Tweezers (1)

Ñ"ж 250ml Beakers (2)

Ñ"ж 100ml Water (Per Beaker)

Ñ"ж 100ml Sucrose Solution

o 0.2M

o 0.4M

o 0.6M

o 0.8M

o 1.0M

Ñ"ж Measuring Cylinders (2)

Ñ"ж Ruler (1)

Ñ"ж Potato Cores (30)

Ñ"ж Stop Clock (1)

Ñ"ж Goggles (1)

What is Osmosis?

Osmosis ÐŽV A type of diffusion - is the passage of water from a region of high water concentration through a semi-permeable membrane to a region of low water concentration.

Diffusion refers to the process by which molecules blend together as a result of their kinetic energy of random motion. Consider two containers of gas A and B separated by a partition;

The molecules of both gases are in constant motion and make numerous collisions with the partition. If the partition is removed as in the lower illustration, the gases will mix because of the random velocities of their molecules.

In time equilibrium of A and B molecules will be produced in the container.

Osmosis is practically a special type of diffusion. It is the diffusion of water