Sultan Qaboos university

College of science
BIOL2101

Determine the isotonic point of sucrose solutions by using

the differences in potato masses.

Student Name: Dhomam Zahir Alanqoudi

ID: 140821
Section: 50
Introduction:

Osmosis is a passive process that happens without the use of

energy. It entails moving molecules from a higher concentration
area to a lower concentration area until the concentrations on both
sides of the membrane are equal. There are three different
classifications of solution: the first is a hypertonic solution, the
second is an isotonic solution, and the third is a hypotonic solution.
A hypertonic solution contains more solutes outside the cell than
inside. On the other hand, an isotonic solution has the same solute
concentration inside and outside the cell. Although a hypotonic
solution has less solute than inside the cell, this experiment will
focus on osmosis in the different types of solutions and the effect
of sucrose concentration on the movement of molecules by using
different concentrations of sucrose on the same size of potatoes
and seeing the differences between these potatoes on the mases to
determine the type of solution in each beaker and the isotonic point
of these solutions.

Aims of Experiment:

 How does osmosis happen in each beaker? And what are the
types of solutions?

 What is the isotonic point of these solutions?

 How does the changing of sucrose concentration in each

beaker affect the mass of potato cubes?

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Variables:

Independent variable - Sucrose concentration

Dependent variable - mass of potato cubes

- Time

- Pressure

Control variables - Temperature

- Volume of the
solutions

Table 1 (Variables of the experiment)

Hypothesis:

The main hypothesis for the experiment is that if the concentration

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of sucrose solution is hypertonic, the mass of the potato will
decrease because water molecules will move outside the cell to
balance the concentration. However, if the concentration of the
sucrose solution is hypotonic, the mass of the potato will increase
because water molecules will move inside the cell to balance the
concentration. If the concentration of the sucrose solution is
isotonic, the mass of the potato will remain the same because water
molecules will move outside and inside in the same amount
because the concentration is the same on both sides of the cell.
Also, if potatoes are soaked for more than 24 hours, some potatoes
will increase in mass while others will decrease in mass until they
reach isotonic point.

Materials:

 Six beakers
 Six test tubes
 Ruler
 Scalpel
 Knife
 Cutting board
 Potatoes
 Top loading balance

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  Pencil
 Tape
 Prepared solutions: 0.0 mol/L ⇒ Distilled water, 0.2
mol/L, 0.4 mol/L, 0.6 mol/L, 0.8 mol/L, 1.0 mol/L
 Calculator
 Pen
 Note book
 Graph paper

Methods:

First, six sucrose solutions of 0.0 mol/L in distilled water and 0.2
mol/L, 0.4 mol/L, 0.6 mol/L, 0.8 mol/L, and 1.0 mol/L were
prepared in different beakers. Then, on the cutting board, the same-
sized potatoes were prepared using a knife, ruler, and scalpel. After
that, the potatoes were weighed using a top-loading balance, and
the initial mass was documented. Each potato was then added to
the sucrose solution in the beaker. Next, the potatoes were soaked
in the sucrose solution for 24 hours to react. After that, the potatoes
were weighed on a top-loading balance, and the final mass was
documented. Then, the differences between the initial and final
masses were found by using this equation: mass difference = final
mass (g) – initial mass (g). After that, the differences between the
masses were documented. Next, the percentage of differences
between the initial and final masses were found by using this
equation: percent change in mass = mass difference (g) / initial
mass (g) x 100%. After that, the percentages change in mass were
documented. After that a graph was drawn on graph paper. Then,
the isotonic point was found by using the best fit line in the graph.
Finally, the isotonic point was documented.
Results:

(M) of Initial Final Mass Change in Change in

Sucrose Mass of of potato Mass of Mass in %
solution potato cubes in g potato
cubes in g (±0.01) cubes in g
(±0.01)
0.0 M 4.40 4.65 0.25 5.68%
0.2 M 4.42 4.81 0.39 8.82%
0.4 M 4.38 4.52 0.14 3.20%
0.6 M 4.41 4.26 - 0.15 - 3.40%
0.8 M 4.40 3.89 - 0.51 - 11.59%
1M 4.41 3.62 - 0.79 - 17.91%

Table 2
(Mass differences between ini al and final potato
cubes mass a er 24 hours of soaking in sucrose
solu ons)

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 Differences between masses in various
concentrations of sucrose solutions
20.00%

15.00%

Isotonic point
10.00% (0.49M)
Change in Mass in %

5.00%

0.00%
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2

-5.00%

-10.00%

-15.00%

-20.00%
(M) of Sucrose solutions

Figure 1
(The graph presents the percentage change in mass of potatoes
under various concentra ons of sucrose and shows the isotonic
point of solu ons by using the best fit line.)

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Discussion:

Table 2 shows the difference between the initial mass of potatoes

and the final mass of potatoes after soaking them in six different
concentrations of sucrose solutions for 24 hours. The potato mass
of 0.0M concentration changed from 4.40 (g) to 4.65 (g), so the
difference between the initial mass and the final mass is + 0.25g ,
which means the sucrose solution is hypotonic because water
molecules move into the potato and the mass of the potato
increases. The potato mass of 0.2M concentration changed from
4.42g to 4.81g, so the difference between the initial and final mass
is + 0.39g, which means the sucrose solution is hypotonic because
water molecules move into the potato and the mass of the potato
increases. The potato mass of 0.4 M changed from 4.38g to 4.52g,
so the difference between the initial mass and the final mass is +
0.14g, which means the sucrose solution is hypotonic because
water molecules moved into the potato and the mass of the potato
increased. The potato mass of 0.6 m changed concentration from
4.41g to 4.26g, so the difference between the initial mass and the
final mass is – 0.15g, which means the sucrose solution is
hypertonic because water molecules move outside the potato and
the mass of the potato decreased. The potato mass of 0.8 M
changed concentration from 4.40g to 3.89g, so the difference
between the initial mass and the final mass is – 0.51g, which
means the sucrose solution is hypertonic because water molecules
move outside the potato and the mass of the potato decreased .The
potato mass of (1M) concentration changed from 4.41g to 3.62g,
so the difference between the initial mass and the final mass is –
0.79g, which means the sucrose solution is hypertonic because
water molecules move outside the potato and the mass of potato
decreased. The graph shows that the isotonic point of the solution
is (0.49M) and at this point each side of a potato membrane has
equal concentration of solute and the potato mass will remain the same.

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Conclusion:

The osmosis is directly related to the concentration of solute in the

fluid. If the concentration of the solution increases above the
isotonic point, the water will move from the cell to the solution.
However, if the concentration of the solution decreases below the
isotonic point, the water moves from the solution to the cell. If the
solution was isotonic, the same amount of water molecules would
move to both sides. This experiment showed that the isotonic point
of these solutions is (0.49 M). Further, the increase in mass of cells
means the solution was hypotonic because the water molecules
moved inside the cell and the cell's mass increased. On the other
hand, the decrease in cell mass means the solution was hypertonic
because the water molecules moved outside the cell, which led to a
decrease in cell mass. Finally, when the solution is isotonic, the
mass will remain the same because water moves to both sides in
the same amount. Osmosis has several life-preserving functions.
For instance, osmosis has several medical applications. For
example, IV solutions are often administered to patients through
osmosis. The solution is placed in a bag or bottle with a semi-
permeable membrane, and the solution moves into the patient's
bloodstream through osmosis. Also, osmosis is an important
process used in water purification. Reverse osmosis is a technique
used to purify water by forcing it through a semi-permeable
membrane that allows water molecules to pass through while
filtering out impurities.

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Possible errors that could have occurred in the experiment:

 Inaccurate measurement of the mass of the potato’s cubes.

 Inaccurate concentrations of sucrose may be used in

experiments.

 Inaccurate time measurement.

 Mix different concentrations of sucrose in beakers.

 Don’t tare the balance before weighing.

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 References

Maguire, L., Myerowitz, L., & Sampson, V. (2010). EXPLORING OSMOSIS

& DIFFUSION IN CELLS. The Science Teacher, 77(8), 55-60. Retrieved
from https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/exploring-osmosis-
diffusion-cells/docview/763169014/se-2.

National Center for Biotechnology Information. (n.d.). Retrieved April 19,

2023, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557609/.

Odom, A. L., & Barrow, L. H. (2007). High school biology students'

knowledge and certainty about diffusion and osmosis concepts. School
science and mathematics, 107(3), 94-101.

Hawley, A. R. & J. (2022, June 14). Potato Osmosis Lab. Data Classroom.
Retrieved April 17, 2023, from https://about.dataclassroom.com/ready-to-
teach/potato-osmosis-lab.

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