In this lab we saw some both drastic and subtle increases and decreases in mass of the potato. These changes are due to the difference in amount of water and solute in and around the potato cell.
Decreases in mass were seen in the higher concentrations of sucrose. For instance when the potato was soaked in the 1M sucrose concentration, the mass of the potato decrease by 35.05%. This is because there was a higher concentration of solutes and a lower concentration of water outside the cell, and a higher concentration of water and a lower concentration of solutes inside the cell - a hypertonic solution. Since water naturally diffuses down the concentration gradient (from areas of high concentration to low concentration), the water rushed out
Decreases in mass were seen in the higher concentrations of sucrose. For instance when the potato was soaked in the 1M sucrose concentration, the mass of the potato decrease by 35.05%. This is because there was a higher concentration of solutes and a lower concentration of water outside the cell, and a higher concentration of water and a lower concentration of solutes inside the cell - a hypertonic solution. Since water naturally diffuses down the concentration gradient (from areas of high concentration to low concentration), the water rushed out