Biology Osmosis

Essay by PratimaHigh School, 11th gradeB, March 2003

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Planning

Before actually planning the experiment, I will do some research to find out about osmosis, and matters related to it, so that I can make predictions. And figure out a way to make this investigation fair and safe.

Planning ahead would help me find out how to do what, when, which should lead me to good results at the end of the experiment.

Hypothesis

Osmosis is the passage of water molecules from a weaker solution into a stronger solution, through a partially permeable membrane. In this case, the tiny holes in the membrane of the potatoes will allow the water molecules to pass through in and out of the solution and the potato, depending on the concentration gradient of the two substances. So in this case, when the water concentration is lower in the tissue, the water will go inside the tissue of the potato, and the potato will gain weight.

And if there is very little different in the two water concentrations, there shouldn´t be such a big change in weight. And if there is a higher concentration of water in the potato, the water will go out of the potato. essaybank.co.uk

The potato, cut up into pieces, will need some sort of element to survive, and in this experiment, it would be light and water. With both of these sources, the potato will keep on working, until it dies of either lack of water, too much water. When the concentration gradient is lower in the potato, the water will transfer from the solution to the potato. And vice versa.

In the distilled water, I believe that the water is more concentrated in the potato, and therefore the water should transfer from the water to the potato, making the potato bigger in size, and heavier in weight.