Experiment #2

Date: September 21,2021

Topic: Osmosis
Aim: To demonstrate osmosis in plant tissue
Apparatus: 2 beakers,2 Irish potatoes, equal volume of distilled water, sugar
solution
Chemicals: pure water, salt solution
Method:
1. Two Irish potatoes were peeled.
2. A cork borer was then used to get equal diameter of the potato strips.
3. A ruler was then used to determine equal length of strips.
4. One strip of potato was then placed in a salt solution and the other was
placed in pure water.
5. Observations were then keenly taken and noted.
Observation:
Medium Initial Final
Pure Water Description(turgid/flaccid/other) Firm Turgid
Length (cm) 3.9 cm 4.1 cm
Mass (more/less) More
Colour White White
Salt Solution Description(turgid/flaccid/other) Firm Flaccid
Mass (more/less) Less
Length (cm) 3.9 cm 3.7 cm
Colour White Darkish-brown

Reflection:
While doing this experiment, I was able to see how different solutions affected a
single potato strip. I discovered that the potato strip that was placed in pure water
became larger and the potato strip that was placed in the salt solution became
smaller. This knowledge has impacted me by allowing me to know that I can
preserve my meat for longer by adding salt to it. Adding salt to food triggers a
process of osmosis, which causes water to flow from an environment with a low
salt concentration to one with a higher concentration. In this way, salt removes
water from food, inhibiting the growth of micro-organisms. This in turn makes it
possible to provide Jamaica with a variety of meat throughout the year. Also, the
meat itself tends to maintain more of its flavor and nutritional qualities while
keeping out microorganisms.

Questions and analysis:

1. Define the term Osmosis.
Osmosis is the spontaneous uni-directional flow of the solvent molecules
through a semi-permeable membrane from a higher concentration region to a
low concentration region.

2. State TWO general deductions about nature of matter which can be

made from your observations.
 Matter takes up space.
 Matter has mass.
3. Using your deductions made above account for your observations.

When the potato strip in the salt solution was removed, a change in the color
of the potato strip was seen, it was no longer white but had a darkish brown
color while the potato strip that was placed in pure water looked like a nicely
white freshly cut piece of potato strip. The potato strip that was placed in
pure water became turgid while the potato strip that was placed in the salt
solution became flaccid.