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The Process of Osmosis in Potatoes

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The Process of Osmosis in Potatoes
In this experiment, we had to demonstrate the process of osmosis using potatoes, and to determine the concentration of the cytoplasm of the potato. To demonstrate this, we had 6 test tubes and poured in different sucrose solutions of the following concentrations: 0.0M, 0.1M, 0.2M, 0.5M, and 1.0M. Once added in with all the sucrose solutions, we added in the 6 cylindrical potatoes of equal diameter and length. Before and after putting it in the potatoes, we had to weigh the initial and the final mass of each potato. After you have left the test tubes, remove the potato cylinders one by one, and pat dry the potatoes with a paper towel and record the mass using an electronic balance.

Through our data on the graph above, this is showing that our first 2 test tubes were hypotonic, which means water is sucked out. Thus in a less concentrated environment. Whereas test tube C was less isotonic, and the test tubes E and F were hypertonic, stating that it is situated in a more concentrated environment. Some of the potatoes gained mass because the water is going in the potato, showing that the potato is more concentrated than the environment. Thus the environment is hypotonic which equals to a higher concentration. In the graph, the R² represents that the closer to 1 your average percent change is mass is, the more accurate your answer is. The hypothesis is supported by the evidence of the graph, because it shows the relationship between average percent change in mass and concentration of sucrose. Therefore, any increase of the sucrose concentration led to a decrease of the potatoes weigh through its average percent change in mass. This supports our aim of demonstrating osmosis in potatoes because when the sucrose solute concentration was greater than about 0.2M, the environment was hypertonic.

Osmosis is demonstrated in potatoes in this lab because osmosis is the diffusion of water molecules from high concentration to lower concentration through a selective permeable

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