Research Question
What will happen to the length and mass of the potato when it is put in water and different concentrations of salt?
Introduction
Osmosis is the diffusion of water molecules from a region of higher concentration to a lower concentration of water molecules (through a partially permeable membrane). If the cell is placed in a higher water potential, water enters by osmosis and if the cell is placed in lower water potential, then the water leaves the cell by osmosis.
The experiment we did shows the process of osmosis. How osmosis really works. That is, what will happen to the potato if it is being put in pure water and what will happen if it is being put in salt water? Will the potato become heavier? Will the potato become flexible? …show more content…
As per the research question: “What will happen to the length and mass of the potato when it is put in water and different concentrations of salt?” the length and mass of the potato decreases when put in a lower concentration of water due to osmosis. Water enters the cell through osmosis if there is higher water potential, but if there is lower water potential; water leaves the cell through osmosis.
Evaluation
Limitations and Weaknesses Significance of Weaknesses Possible Improvements
Limit of mass is to 0.1g All measurements start from 0.1g Use a better scale with limit to 0.01g
Trials Only 4 groups, therefore only 4 trials done; data may not be accurate At least 5 trials are to be done in every experiment
Tapping out excess water from Potato tubes while measuring Access water may have been soaked out right before measuring them Soak out water all at once so none will be imbalanced
Time taken Time may have been too short for this experiment Increase the time for the experiment Bibliography
Pickering, Ron. "Organisation and Maintenance of Organisms." Complete Biology for Cambridge IGCSE. Second ed. Oxford: Oxford and Cambridge, 2011. 304.