Osmosis Eggsperiment

Learning Objective
To investigate the movement of water through an egg membrane.

Success Criteria
• To safely follow a method.
• To calculate the percentage change in mass.
• To explain the results of the investigation.
Where is the best place to learn about
eggs?

A hen-cyclopedia.
Prediction
One egg without a shell is placed in water.
Another egg without a shell is placed in a strong sugar solution.

Predict what will happen to the egg in each liquid.

water sugar
solution
 Risk Assessment
Hazard Harm It Can Do How You Will Minimise the Risk

broken Sharp edges can  Ensure the floor is clear of obstacles.

glassware cause cuts to the skin.  Dispose of any broken glass in the glass
bin and sweep the surface clear.

liquids There is a risk of falls  Pour the liquids carefully.

if liquids are spilt on  Ensure the floor is clear of obstacles.
the floor.  Place the beaker away from the edge of
the bench.
 Clear up any spills straight away.

egg Some people have  You must tell your teacher if you have an
allergies to egg. egg allergy.
 Handle the eggs carefully to avoid bursting
them.
Raw egg can carry  Place eggs carefully away from the edge of
Salmonella. the bench.
 Clear up any broken eggs and clean
surfaces well.
 Wash hands after use.
 Risk Assessment
Hazard Harm It Can Do How You Will Minimise the Risk

sucrose Acids formed by  Do not consume the sugar solution.

(sugar) bacterial
decomposition of
sugar in the mouth
can cause tooth
decay.

Excess sugars in the

diet, coupled with a
lack of exercise, can
cause obesity and
diabetes, and can
lead to heart disease.
 Method
1. Use the top-pan balance to measure
and record the mass of an egg that
has had its shell removed.

2. Gently place the egg into a beaker

labelled ‘water’.

3. Use the top-pan balance to measure

and record the mass of a second egg
that has had its shell removed.

4. Gently place the egg into a beaker

labelled ‘sugar solution’.
 Method
5. Pour water over the egg in the first
beaker until it is just covered.
water sugar
6. Pour sugar solution over the egg in solution
the second beaker until it is just
covered.

7. Leave the eggs in the liquids for 24

hours.
 Method
8. After 24 hours, carefully remove the
eggs from the beakers and use a
paper towel to gently remove any
excess liquid.

9. Record your observations about

each egg.

10.Use the top-pan balance to measure

and record the mass of each egg.
 Method
The eggs from each liquid are shown next to an egg with its shell.
What do you notice?

egg in sugar
egg in water
solution
 Percentage Change in Mass
The eggs were not the same mass at the start of the experiment and it would
be impractical to find two eggs that are exactly equal in mass.

Therefore, to compare the changes in mass of the two eggs, we can calculate
the percentage change in mass.

mass at the end – mass at the start

percentage change in mass = × 100
mass at the start
 Percentage Change in Mass

mass at the end – mass at the start

percentage change in mass = × 100
mass at the start

What would an answer of 10% tell us about the mass of the egg?

The mass increased by 10%.

What would an answer of -10% tell us about the mass of the egg?

The mass decreased by 10%.

Calculate the percentage change in mass for the egg in water and the egg in
sugar solution.
 The Eggsplanation
The egg membrane is a partially permeable membrane.
A partially permeable membrane only lets some particles through.

The water molecules

can move through the
partially permeable
water membrane.

The sugar molecules

cannot move through
the partially permeable
membrane.
sugar
 The Eggsplanation
There are more particles of water There are fewer particles of water
on the left-hand side of the on right-hand side of the
membrane. So this side has a membrane. So this side has a
higher concentration of water. lower concentration of water.
 The Eggsplanation
When the particles of a substance are at different concentrations on either
side of the partially permeable membrane there is a concentration
gradient.
 The Eggsplanation
Particles will move down the concentration gradient, from a higher
concentration to a lower concentration.

movement of water
 The Eggsplanation
This movement will continue until there is an equal concentration on each
side of the partially permeable membrane. This is called the equilibrium.

When the concentration on both sides is the same, the particles will move
randomly between the two sides but the number of particles on each side will
remain roughly the same.
 Osmosis
The diffusion of water in this way is called osmosis.
Osmosis is the net movement of water molecules from an area of high
water concentration (a dilute solution) to an area of lower water
concentration (a concentrated solution) across a partially permeable
membrane.

Which side of the

partially
permeable
membrane has
the highest water
concentration?
 Osmosis
There are the same number of water molecules on each side of the partially
permeable membrane.
This side also has some sugar This side has the
molecules so the water highest water
concentration is lower. concentration.

In which direction
will the water
molecules move?
 Osmosis
When an egg was placed in water, it increased in mass.

egg before it was egg after it was

left in water left in water

What does this suggest about the concentration of water inside the egg?

The concentration of water was lower inside the egg than outside the egg.
 Osmosis
Can you explain how osmosis affected the eggs in different solutions?
egg in water
The water concentration inside
the egg was lower than outside
the egg. So, water molecules
moved into the egg by osmosis.
This caused it to increase in
size.
egg in sugar
solution
The water concentration inside
the egg was higher than
outside the egg. So, water
molecules moved out of the
egg by osmosis. This caused it
to decrease in size.