Osmosis and Water
Osmosis
Abstract
The basic principles of Osmosis and Diffusion were tested and examined in this lab. We examined the percent increase of mass and molarity of different concentrations of sucrose in the dialysis bag emerged in distilled water and the potato cores emerged in concentrations of sucrose. The data reinforces the principles of Osmosis and Diffusion, and in a biological context, we can simulate how water and particles move in and out of our own cells.
Introduction
Objective:
1. Investigate the process of osmosis and diffusion in a model of a membrane system.
2. Investigate the effect of solute concentration on water potential as it relates to living plant tissue.
Background Information:
Molecules are in constant motion; they tend to move from areas of high concentration, to areas of low concentration. This broad principle is divided into two categories: diffusion and osmosis.
Diffusion is the random movement of molecules from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration. This is considered a passive form of transportation because it does not require any additional energy to transport the molecules. In the body, carbon dioxide and oxygen can diffuse across cell membranes.
Osmosis is a special type of diffusion where water moves through a selectively permeable membrane from a region of higher water potential to a region of lower water potential. In our body, water diffuses across cell membranes through osmosis. Water potential is the measure of free energy of water in a solution and is shown with the use of the symbol Ψ. Water potential is affected by two factors: osmotic potential (Ψπ) and pressure potential (Ψp). Osmotic potential is dependent on the solute concentration, and pressure potential which is the energy that forms from exertion of pressure either positive or negative on a solution. The equation to find the sum of water potential is:
Water Potential = Pressure
Abstract
The basic principles of Osmosis and Diffusion were tested and examined in this lab. We examined the percent increase of mass and molarity of different concentrations of sucrose in the dialysis bag emerged in distilled water and the potato cores emerged in concentrations of sucrose. The data reinforces the principles of Osmosis and Diffusion, and in a biological context, we can simulate how water and particles move in and out of our own cells.
Introduction
Objective:
1. Investigate the process of osmosis and diffusion in a model of a membrane system.
2. Investigate the effect of solute concentration on water potential as it relates to living plant tissue.
Background Information:
Molecules are in constant motion; they tend to move from areas of high concentration, to areas of low concentration. This broad principle is divided into two categories: diffusion and osmosis.
Diffusion is the random movement of molecules from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration. This is considered a passive form of transportation because it does not require any additional energy to transport the molecules. In the body, carbon dioxide and oxygen can diffuse across cell membranes.
Osmosis is a special type of diffusion where water moves through a selectively permeable membrane from a region of higher water potential to a region of lower water potential. In our body, water diffuses across cell membranes through osmosis. Water potential is the measure of free energy of water in a solution and is shown with the use of the symbol Ψ. Water potential is affected by two factors: osmotic potential (Ψπ) and pressure potential (Ψp). Osmotic potential is dependent on the solute concentration, and pressure potential which is the energy that forms from exertion of pressure either positive or negative on a solution. The equation to find the sum of water potential is:
Water Potential = Pressure