ACTIVITY 2: MEMBRANE TRANSPORT

Introduction: Cells have an outer covering called the cell membrane. This membrane is selectively permeable; it has tiny pores or holes that allow objects to move
across it. The cell membrane controls what moves in and out of the cell. In this lab you will be using an egg with the shell removed. The shell-less egg will represent a
cell and its selectively permeable membrane. You will remove the shell of the egg by soaking the egg in vinegar. The eggshell is made up of the mineral calcium
carbonate. Calcium carbonate dissolves in acids such as vinegar. During this process it releases the gas carbon dioxide. After the shell has been dissolved, only the
membrane will remain around the egg.

Materials
3 eggs
3 glasses/Jar with cover / clingwrap (large enough to fit the egg plus liquid)
White vinegar (about 3-4 cups)
Distilled water/Tap water
Salt
Slotted spoon/big spoon/spoon
Sticky notes and marker
pencil, paper for recording and marking
strip of paper about one-inch width and six inches long for measuring
ruler/measuring tape
paper towel/tissue
plate

Photo Documentation:
Add a picture of you in the work sheet showing various steps of the experiment.

Safety notes:
1. Raw eggs can carry salmonella (harmful bacteria). Be sure to wash your hands after handling the eggs.
2. Handle your egg very carefully so that it does not break

Preparation before the Experiment - Making A shell-less egg

Place one egg in each glass. Pour in enough vinegar to cover each egg. To keep it submerged, place a spoon on top of the eggs in the glass/jar to hold it down.
Loosely place lid/cover on top (or you may use a cling wrap). Put the three glasses in the refrigerator and allow to sit for 24 hours.
Clean up materials and wash your hands.

After 24 hours, once the eggshell has dissolved carefully remove the egg from the vinegar using the slotted spoon and rinse with tap water in the sink, gently rub the
egg to remove remaining remnants and rinse the egg off with water. Rinse out the empty glasses as well.

Gently pat dry with paper towel or tissue and put the shell-less eggs aside for a moment on a plate.

Preparation before the Experiment - Making Solutions

Prepare three different sugar-water solutions as follows, labeling with pen and paper/sticky notes:

Glass 1: Vinegar. Pour in one cup/glass of vinegar. Gently put one shell-less egg in each of the glasses, loosely cover and let sit in the refrigerator for another 8
hours.

Glass 2: Salt Water Add about 6 tablespoons of salt in one container and stir it well with a tablespoon until the salt has completely dissolved in the water. Gently put
one shell-less egg in each of the glasses, loosely cover and let sit in the refrigerator for another 8 hours.

Glass 3: Plain Water. Pour in one cup/glass of distilled water. Gently put one shell-less egg in each of the glasses, loosely cover and let sit in the refrigerator for
another 8 hours.

Experiment Procedure
1. Measure the eggs, use a flexible tape measure, measure the circumference of the egg (along the “equator”) or wrap the paper strip around the egg and mark the
paper where it meets then measure the length of the paper up to the marked point.
2. Record circumference to closest millimeter in your record sheet at the BEFORE column.
3. Gently put one shell-less egg in each of the glasses with solution, cover and let sit in the refrigerator for another 8 hours.
4. After 8 hours, carefully remove the egg from the glasses one at a time and rinse the egg off with water. Gently pat dry with paper towel or tissue.
5. Record circumference to closest millimeter in your record sheet at the AFTER column.
6. Do Activity Sheet 2
 ACTIVITY 2: MEMBRANE TRANSPORT – OSMOSIS

Name: MOSENABRE, CHARADE P. Section: BSN 1-7

Answer the following Questions:

1. What happened to the eggs when placed on each solution. Compare and contrast the result on each solution. Record your findings on the table below:
Eggs in… Measurement Appearance/Observation Measuremen Appearance/Observation
in cm BEFORE t in cm
AFTER
Glass 1: Vinegar The egg #1 before submerging into the solution has a The egg #1 after being submerged into the
15.4 cm circumference of 15.4 centimeters. The egg looks 15.9 cm vinegar solution has increased in size by .5
translucent because the hard outside shell is gone and centimeters. The physical characteristics of
the yolk is seen through the blurry white part of the egg. egg #1 are all the same.
Glass 2: Salt Water The egg #2 before submerging into the solution has a The egg #2 after being submerged into the
16.1 cm circumference of 16.1 centimeters. Its physical 15.5 cm saltwater solution has evidently decreased in
characteristics are the same with egg #1 however this size by .6 centimeters. The egg was more
one is bigger in size. translucent giving a clearer vision of the yolk.
Glass 3: Plain The egg #2 before submerging into the solution has a The egg #3 after being submerged into the
Water 15.3 cm circumference of 15.5 centimeters which is a .1 16.3 cm plain water solution has inflated and increased
centimeter smaller than the first egg. The egg also looks its size by 1 centimeter. The egg’s color
translucent because the hard outside shell is gone and turned into darkish yellow.
the yolk is immediately seen.
Discussion of Result:
The table above shows the data gathered on how osmosis works on eggs. For 24 hours, the eggs (shells still existent) are submerged vinegar. After 24 hours, it was
evident that the shell of the egg was dissolved making it naked leaving its membrane only as a covering and protection for its inner components. The next procedure
was to submerge the egg in solutions namely: vinegar, salt water and plain water solution. This process is done for another 8 hours. After 8 hours of soaking the
naked eggs into the different solutions, each egg has changed in terms of physical characteristics.

First, the Egg #1 soaked in vinegar solution has an initial size of 15.4 centimeters however, after soaking for 8 hours it increased in size and has grown .5 centimeters.
Comparing to Egg #2, this egg is bigger but it is smaller compared to Egg #3. The color of the egg is the same as of the vinegar---pale white and blurry. Vinegar has
90% water therefore, the egg increased in size because the water molecules from the vinegar moved into the egg.

Second, the Egg #2 soaked in salt water solution has an initial size of 16.1 centimeters, however, after soaking for 8 hours, it has deflated and lost about.6
centimeters of its size. This egg is smaller compared to both eggs #1 and #3. The color of the egg was now clearer and the the yolk was more visible. The salt water
solution contained more solute and was highly concentrated causing the water molecules inside the egg to move outside.
Lastly, the Egg #3 soaked in plain water solution has an initial size of 15.3 centimeters, however, after 8 hours, it swelled and increased a centimeter of its size. Egg
#3 is the largest among the three and its color turned into darkish yellow. The inside concentration of the egg is higher than of the solution causing the water
molecules to enter the egg. This is the reason why the egg bloated and increased in size.
2. When the egg was placed in the solution, in which direction did the water molecules move? D iscuss the mechanism that took place which allowed the movement of
the water in each solution. Discuss.
Eggs in… Direction of water Mechanism Discussion
Movement
Glass 1: Vinegar The water molecules If the egg is soaked in an isotonic solution, which in this experiment is vinegar, the egg will
from the vinegar and Isotonic stay in size because there will be little to no amount of water movement. In this
egg does not move. experiment, the egg was initially soaked in vinegar and it has already expanded so when it
was soaked once again in vinegar for another 8hrs its size is expected to stay the same
however, the egg grew about .5 centimeters which means that few water molecules move
from outside to inside of the egg to balance the concentration.
Glass 2: Salt Water The water molecules If the egg is soaked in a hypertonic solution, which in this experiment is salt water, then
in side the egg Hypertonic the egg will shrink because the water inside the egg will diffuse out to try to balance the
moves out of the egg. concentration inside and outside. In this experiment, the egg shrunk because there was a
low concentration of water outside the egg.
Glass 3: Plain Water The water molecules If the egg is soaked in a hypotonic solution, which in this experiment is plain water, then
from the solution Hypotonic the egg will swell because water from outside of the egg will diffuse into the egg to try to
enters the egg. reach the equilibrium of the concentration of water. In this experiment, the egg inflated
because there was a higher concentration of water outside that moved into the egg to
balance the concentration on both sides.
3. How is the egg comparable to a red blood cell?
The egg is like red blood cells in our body. They are from different organisms, however, how they are built are similar. The egg has a white/brown thick and hard
covering called the shell in which the main function is to provide protection for its inner parts. The same thing applies to the red blood cells. The red blood cells has a
membrane which also serves as a barrier. Both the membrane of the egg and RBC are semi-permeable which means both will have the same reaction when
exposed to different solutions namely: isotonic, hypertonic and hypotonic solutions.
4. What are the different types of solution that red blood cells may be exposed with and what will be the effect of these solutions to the RBC’s appearance.
RBCs in… Discussion

Solution 1: Isotonic Solution
Solution 2: Hypertonic Solution
An isotonic solution is a concentration of solutes equal to the inside of of the cell. The water moves into
and out of the cell at the same rate but there is no net water movement. When red blood cells are exposed
to an isotonic solution, the intracellular and extracellular fluids are in osmotic equilibrium across the cell
membrane so there is no movement in water molecules. The red blood cell stays in its original shape.
A hypertonic solution has a high concentration of solute. The water moves by osmosis out of the cell and
into the hypertonic solution. When red blood cells are exposed to a hypertonic solution, they experience
crenation wherein they shrunk and lose their normal biconcave shape.
 Solution 3: Hypotonic Solution A hypotonic solution has low solute concentration. The water enters the cell by osmosis and the red blood
cell lyses. It is when the cells swell or bloat, the integrity of their membranes is disrupted.
Photo Documentation:

Preparation before the experiment. Making a shell-less Three eggs submerged in the vinegar for 24 hours.
egg.

After 24 hours, I washed the gently in running water to remove remaining egg shells.
Dry patted with paper towel.
Initial measurement of the circumference of the eggs
before submerging into the solutions.

Eggs submerged in vinegar, saltwater and

plainwater solutions.
Eggs after 8 hours in the solutions.
 Final measure of the eggs after being submerges into the
solutions.

Reference:
https://sites.google.com/site/csun525s/previous-demonstrations/s13/investigation-amanda-hrezo
https://untamedscience.com/biology/cells/osmosis/
https://www.biologyjunction.com/egg_osmosis_sample2_lab.htm
https://www.leonschools.net/cms/lib/FL01903265/Centricity/Domain/6182/Egg%20Osmosis%20Lab6thGrade.pdf