INTRODUCTION

Osmosis is the movement of water molecules across a semipermeable membrane down the water
concentration gradient. Osmosis occurs when free water molecules move from a region of high
solute concentration to a region of low solute concentration. This phenomenon can be observed
under the microscope in living cells. In this experiment you will observe osmosis in red onion
epidermal cells and blood cell. These cells appear red in colour because there is a large pigment
molecule called anthocyanin stored inside the vacuole. This pigment molecule cannot cross the
vacuole membrane. It is trapped inside the vacuole. However, the vacuole membrane is permeable
to water, so water moves between the cytoplasm and vacuole as well as across the plasma
membrane. Therefore, changes may be observed in the size and shape of the vacuole.

For red blood cell, human red blood cells function for transport, and for circulation of oxygen,
nutrients, wastes and other materials throughout the body. They are enucleated in order to create
more space for haemoglobin and are mainly found within the heart and blood vessels and
circulatory system.

At left, in a hypertonic solution, water flows out of the cells, causing them to shrivel. At
centre, in an isotonic solution, the cells are normal. At right, in a hypotonic solution, water
flows into the cells and they swell and eventually burst.
APPARATUS AND MATERIALS

PART A: OSMOSIS OF RED BLOOD CELL

 Finger puncture / needle
 Clean glass slides and cover slips
 Distilled water
 0.85% of NaOH solution
 2.0% of NaOH solution
 Microscope

PART B: OSMOSIS OF ONION CELL

 Onion
 Clean glass slides and cover slips
 Distilled water
 0.85% of NaOH solution
 2.0% of NaOH solution
 Microscope
 forceps
METHODS PART A: OSMOSIS OF RED BLOOD CELL

1. 4 slides which is slide A is not have any solution, slide B is distilled water, slide C is
0.85% NaOH and last one is slide D is 2.0% NaOH was labelled

2. 4 drops of blood from a willing volunteer was collected. Sticked the finger with a needle
to take a little bit of blood.

3. Placed a cover slip on top of each slide immediately.

4. Placed the microscope glass slide of non-solution under the microscope.

5. Results was observed and record the image of the cell.

6. Steps 3-5 was repeated with distilled water solution,0.85% NaOH and 2.0% NaOH
solution.
 RESULTS PART A: OSMOSIS OF RED BLOOD CELL

NO SOLUTION

White blood
Red blood cell

Blood cell with no solution under 40× magnification

SOLUTION A (DISTILLED WATER) (HYPOTONIC SOLUTION)

Red blood cell

White blood cell

Blood cell with distilled water under 100× magnification

SOLUTION B (0.85% NaOH) (ISOTONIC SOLUTION)

Red blood cell

 Blood cell with 0.85% NaOH under 40× magnification

SOLUTION C (2.0% NaOH) ( HYPERTONIC SOLUTION)

Red blood cell

Blood cell in 2.0% NaOH under 100× magnification

METHODS PART B: OSMOSIS OF ONION CELL

1. Four glass slides were labelled as A, B, C and D. Glass slide A had methylene
blue, glass slide B had distilled water, glass slide C had 0.85% NaOH while slide
D had 2.0% NaOH.

2. A small piece of onion is cut and by using forceps, the inner side of its membrane
was peeled off.

3. The membrane of the onion was laid flat on the surface of a clean glass slide and a
drop of methylene blue stain was drop onto the glass slide A.

4. Lowered a cover slip carefully onto the specimen.

5. The specimen was observed by using low power and then changed to high power
of the microscope.

6. The result was observed, and the image of the cell seen under the microscope was
recorded.

7. Steps 2-5 were repeated with solutions B, C and D.

DISCUSSION
The rate of osmosis always depends on the concentration of solute. The process is
illustrated by comparing an environmental or external solution to the internal concentration
found in the body. A hypertonic solution is any external solution that has a high solute
concentration and low water concentration compared to body fluids. In a hypertonic solution,
the net movement of water will be out of the body and into the solution. A cell placed into a
hypertonic solution will shrivel and die by a process known as plasmolysis. An isotonic
solution is any external solution that has the same solute concentration and water
concentration compared to body fluids. In an isotonic solution, no net movement of water
will take place. A hypotonic tonic solution is any external solution that has a low solute
concentration and high-water concentration compared to body fluids. In hypotonic solutions,
there is a net movement of water from the solution into the body. A cell placed into a
hypotonic solution will swell and expand until it eventually burst through a process known as
cytolysis. These three examples of different solute concentrations provide an illustration of
the spectrum of water movement based on solute concentration through the process of
osmosis. The body, therefore, must regulate solute concentrations to prevent cell damage and
control the movement of water where needed.
OSMOSIS BLOOD CELL
Hypertonic SOLUTION 2,0% NaOH
A hypertonic solution has a higher solute concentration compared to the intracellular solute
concentration. When placing a red blood cell in any hypertonic solution which is 2.0%
NaOH, there will be a movement of free water out of the cell and into the solution. This
movement occurs through osmosis because the cell has more free water than the solution.
After the solutions are allowed to equilibrate, the result will be a cell with a lower overall
volume. The remaining volume inside the cell will have a higher solute concentration, and the
cell will appear shrivelled under the microscope. The solution will be more dilute than
originally. The overall process is known as plasmolysis.

Isotonic SOLUTION 0.85% NaOH

An isotonic solution has the same solute concentration compared to the intracellular solute
concentration. When a red blood cell is placed in an isotonic solution which is 2.0 % NaOH,
there will be no net movement of water. Both the concentration of solute and water are equal
both intracellularly and extracellularly; therefore, there will be no net movement of water
towards the solution or the cell. The cell and the environment around it are in equilibrium,
and the cell should remain unchanged under the microscope.
Hypotonic SOLUTION DISTILLED WATER
A hypotonic solution has a lower solute concentration compared to the intracellular solute
concentration. When a red blood cell is placed in a hypotonic solution, there will be a net
movement of free water into the cell. This situation will result in an increased intracellular
volume with a lower intracellular solute concentration. The solution will end up with a higher
overall solute concentration. Under the microscope, the cell may appear engorged, and the
cell membrane may eventually rupture. This overall process is known as cytolysis.

OSMOSIS ONION CELL

CONCLUSION
In conclusions, water is known as the "universal solvent," and almost all known life depends
on it for survival. Therefore, the principle of osmosis, though seemingly simple, plays a large
role in almost all physiological processes. Osmosis is specifically important in maintaining
homeostasis, which is the tendency of systems toward a relatively stable dynamic
equilibrium. Biological membranes act as semipermeable barriers and allow for the process
of osmosis to occur. Osmosis underlies almost all major processes in the body, including
digestion, kidney function, nerve conduction, etc. It allows for water and nutrient
concentrations to be at equilibrium in all the cells of the body. It is the underlying physical
process that regulates solute concentration in and out of cells, and aids in excreting excess
water out of the body.
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POST LAB QUESTIONS
1. State the importance of osmosis in living organisms. (2m)
-The principle of osmosis regulates the passage of water into and out of cells of all living
organisms.
-It helps to maintain shape and size of animal cells.
- The volume of protoplasm is maintained constant by the process of osmosis.
-Absorption of water by intestinal cells takes place through osmosis.
- Plants absorb water from the soil with the help of root hair through osmosis.

2. Does osmosis occur in human? Explain the osmosis process in human using a suitable
example. (5m)
YES
-Osmosis can occur in both the small and large intestines, with the large intestine being the
site of most of the osmosis. Food travels from the oesophagus to the stomach and then to the
small intestine as it is processed by your body. Our body absorbs critical nutrients through
osmosis while you're there.
- Maintenance of water balance: Our kidneys are critical organs that aid in the clearance of
waste and poisonous chemicals from our bodies. The process of osmosis is used to recover
water from waste. Osmosis is used in kidney dialysis. Because red blood cells are larger than
white blood cells, they are unable to pass through the barrier and are held in the blood. As a
result, waste elements are continuously eliminated from the bloodstream through osmosis.

3. Define tonicity. (2m)

Tonicity is the capability of a solution to modify the volume of cells by altering their water
content. The movement of water into a cell can lead to hypotonicity or hypertonicity when
water moves out of the cell.
4. State what happen to animal cells when put in this solution: (3m)
i) Hypotonic - When an animal cell is placed in a hypotonic solution the animal cell will burst
due to the net movement of water from the solution into the cell. This net movement was
caused by a lower solute concentration in the solution than in the cell.
ii) Isotonic- If a cell is placed in an isotonic solution, there will be no net flow of water into or
out of the cell, and the cell's volume will remain stable. If the solute concentration outside the
cell is the same as inside the cell, and the solutes cannot cross the membrane, then that
solution is isotonic to the cell.
iii) Hypertonic- In a hypertonic solution, the net movement of water will be out of the body
and into the solution. A cell placed into a hypertonic solution will shrivel and die by a process
known as plasmolysis.

5. State what happen to plant cells when put in this solution: (3m)
i) Hypotonic- When a cell is kept in a hypotonic medium, the cells take up water from
external medium and swell up. In plant cells, the cell membrane creates a pressure against the
cell wall, which exerts an equal pressure against the swollen cell but do not burst.
ii) Isotonic- If a plant cell is placed in an isotonic solution, there will be no net flow of water
into or out of the cell, and the cell's volume will remain stable. If the solute concentration
outside the cell is the same as inside the cell, and the solutes cannot cross the membrane, then
that solution is isotonic to the cell.
iii) Hypertonic- a plant cell is placed in a hypertonic solution, the plant cell loses water and hence
turgor pressure by plasmolysis: pressure decreases to the point where the protoplasm of the cell
peels away from the cell wall, leaving gaps between the cell wall and the membrane and making the
plant cell shrink and crumple.