estimating osmolarity
Estimating Osmolarity by change in weight
Abstract
Water flows in and out of cells in an attempt to attain a state of equilibrium. The concentration of solutes to solvent in the cells environment is the cause of the water flow. Plant and animal cells can be negatively affected or positively affected due to the concentration balance in their environment. Potato cells were used to see the affects of sucrose in different concentrations. In some concentrations a weight change was seen in the potato.
Introduction
In the osmotic concentration lab potatoes were used to see the affects of different concentrations of sucrose on the weight of the potatoes. Solanum tubersummore commonly known as the potato is the fourth most important food crop in the world. It originates from South America and is now seen all over the world in different elevations and climates. The potato is not only seen as a vegetable but as an ant famine food because of its ability to grow in harsh environments and feed many people in third world nations. Potatoes are full sucrose used for energy storage in plants. Sucrose is a carbohydrate or sugar found in food. It’s a combination of fructose and glucose two simple sugars, making it a disaccharide. Consumers break down sucrose a disaccharide into two monosaccharide, so they can be absorbed easier and quicker into the blood. Without being broken down sucrose is too large of a molecule to diffuse through semi permeable membrane and wouldn’t be able move in and out of cells affectively. Because potatoes have sucrose inside them a concentration gradient is present and if placed in any solution osmosis movement of water through semi permeable membranes would naturally occur. If the concentration of sucrose in the solutions is less than the concentration in the potato then the potato will gain mass and vice versa. In conducting this experiment sucrose concentrations can be used in the future to
Abstract
Water flows in and out of cells in an attempt to attain a state of equilibrium. The concentration of solutes to solvent in the cells environment is the cause of the water flow. Plant and animal cells can be negatively affected or positively affected due to the concentration balance in their environment. Potato cells were used to see the affects of sucrose in different concentrations. In some concentrations a weight change was seen in the potato.
Introduction
In the osmotic concentration lab potatoes were used to see the affects of different concentrations of sucrose on the weight of the potatoes. Solanum tubersummore commonly known as the potato is the fourth most important food crop in the world. It originates from South America and is now seen all over the world in different elevations and climates. The potato is not only seen as a vegetable but as an ant famine food because of its ability to grow in harsh environments and feed many people in third world nations. Potatoes are full sucrose used for energy storage in plants. Sucrose is a carbohydrate or sugar found in food. It’s a combination of fructose and glucose two simple sugars, making it a disaccharide. Consumers break down sucrose a disaccharide into two monosaccharide, so they can be absorbed easier and quicker into the blood. Without being broken down sucrose is too large of a molecule to diffuse through semi permeable membrane and wouldn’t be able move in and out of cells affectively. Because potatoes have sucrose inside them a concentration gradient is present and if placed in any solution osmosis movement of water through semi permeable membranes would naturally occur. If the concentration of sucrose in the solutions is less than the concentration in the potato then the potato will gain mass and vice versa. In conducting this experiment sucrose concentrations can be used in the future to
References: Morgan, Judith, and Carter Eloise. investigating biology laboratory manual. seventh. Benjamin Cummings, Print. . N.p.. Web. 9 Feb 2014. .