Question: How does the concentration of salt solution affect the percent change in the mass of potato cells?
Hypothesis: If the concentration of salt is increased, then the percent change in the mass of potatoes cells will decrease.
Abstract: In this experiment we will be testing how salt concentrations affects potatoes. First, potatoes were peeled and prepped for the experiment; while a salt water solution was being obtained. Potatoes were submerged and left in the solution for two hours, and during that time the potato lost mass. This loss in mass was due to the liquid molecules in the potato being taken out into the salt solution, but why does this happen? The liquid potato molecules from inside the cells and salt solution should evenly …show more content…
A good example of this is to think of two beakers connected by a tube and in this tube is a semipermeable membrane. Now fill both beakers with equal amounts of water and let it sit. The water will stay equal on both sides because for every molecule moving to the left beaker across the semipermeable membrane a molecule is moving to the right beaker. Next, add an ionic substance, such as salt, to the left beaker. Over time the left beaker will become fuller and the right beaker will lose water. This is because of osmosis; the salt is dissolved in the polar water and as water from the right beaker moves across the semipermeable membrane it is attracted to the salt ions, thus no water is moving to the right …show more content…
In osmosis, water is attracted to a solute, the salt, and will move in or out of the cells according to where the higher solute concentration may be. In a perfect situation the amount of solute inside and outside of the cells would be even and water could move equally across the cell membrane. This is called isotonic, but rarely does this take place. When the amount of solute outside if a cell is extremely high, it is called hypertonic. This results in water from the cell moving towards the solute and out of the cell, causing the cell to wither. However, when solute concentrations outside of the cell are very low, this is called hypotonic, and the water will move into the cell causing it to inflate and sometimes burst. In both hypotonic and hypertonic situations osmosis is taking place as water is moving across the semipermeable membrane to an area of higher solute
Hypothesis: If the concentration of salt is increased, then the percent change in the mass of potatoes cells will decrease.
Abstract: In this experiment we will be testing how salt concentrations affects potatoes. First, potatoes were peeled and prepped for the experiment; while a salt water solution was being obtained. Potatoes were submerged and left in the solution for two hours, and during that time the potato lost mass. This loss in mass was due to the liquid molecules in the potato being taken out into the salt solution, but why does this happen? The liquid potato molecules from inside the cells and salt solution should evenly …show more content…
A good example of this is to think of two beakers connected by a tube and in this tube is a semipermeable membrane. Now fill both beakers with equal amounts of water and let it sit. The water will stay equal on both sides because for every molecule moving to the left beaker across the semipermeable membrane a molecule is moving to the right beaker. Next, add an ionic substance, such as salt, to the left beaker. Over time the left beaker will become fuller and the right beaker will lose water. This is because of osmosis; the salt is dissolved in the polar water and as water from the right beaker moves across the semipermeable membrane it is attracted to the salt ions, thus no water is moving to the right …show more content…
In osmosis, water is attracted to a solute, the salt, and will move in or out of the cells according to where the higher solute concentration may be. In a perfect situation the amount of solute inside and outside of the cells would be even and water could move equally across the cell membrane. This is called isotonic, but rarely does this take place. When the amount of solute outside if a cell is extremely high, it is called hypertonic. This results in water from the cell moving towards the solute and out of the cell, causing the cell to wither. However, when solute concentrations outside of the cell are very low, this is called hypotonic, and the water will move into the cell causing it to inflate and sometimes burst. In both hypotonic and hypertonic situations osmosis is taking place as water is moving across the semipermeable membrane to an area of higher solute