Ms. Quenon
Period 7
11 January 9, 2015
Macroscopic Osmosis in Potato Tissue
Data:
Figure #1 The Effects of Osmosis on Potato Tissues:
Salt Concentration
Potato Mass Before
Solution
Potato Mass after
Solution
Percent Change
Observations
0%
2.13
2.19
2.8%
The potato slices sunk to the bottom and the water was clear.
1%
1.98
1.94
2.06%
The potato slices sunk and the water was mostly clear.
5%
2.19
1.96
-10.5%
The potato slices floated for a while and then sunk; water was murky.
20%
1.95
1.69
-13.3%
The potato slices stayed floating the entire 15mins and there were bubbles in the water, also the water was very murky.
Analysis:
Percent Change of mass in Potato Cells due to Amount of Salt Concentration
Discussion: In this lab potato tissue was used to determine the effect of different concentrations of salt solution have on the tissue. The salt solution will cause the potato mass to decrease when placed in a higher concentration of salt solution and will have a lesser effect when it is more diluted. This was proven to be true in the lab by when the 5 and 20% salt solution had high decreased percent change of mass after placed in the solution. When osmosis occured in the potato cells to dilute the water on the outside of the cell membrane causing it to become isotonic. This caused the mass to decrease because of the loss of water in the potato cells. The percent change increased in the potato cells in the 0 and 1% salt concentration because the