Movement of Substances Across a Semi-permeable

Membrane

Aim

To study the movement of substances across a semipermeable membrane

Problem
stateme
nt
Hypothe
sis

What substances are able to move across a semipermeable membrane?

Molecules which are smaller than the pores of the
Visking tubing are able to move across the plasma
membrane.

Apparat
us and
material
s

1. Glucose solution 10%

2. Starch solution 10%
3. Iodine solution
4. Benedict solution
5. Visking tubing
6. Cotton thread
7. Boiling tube
8. Test tubes
9. Bunsen burner
10.
Dropper
11.
Beaker
12.
Wire gauze
13.
Tripod stand
14.
Syringe

Procedur
e

1. Soak a piece of Visking tubing in water for 5

minutes to soften it
2. Tie one end of the Visking tubing with a thread
3. From the opened end, fill 5cm3 of glucose solution
and 5cm3 of starch suspension into the tubing.
4. Tie the end of the tubing tightly.
5. Rinse the tubing with water

6. Place the tubing into a boiling tube containing

distilled water
7. Immediately collect water sample from the boiling
tube and test separately with iodine solution and
Benedicts solution
8. After 15 minutes, collect water samples again and
test separately with iodine solution and Benedicts
solution
9. Record your observation