NAME(1): (2):
SECTION: DATE:
Second Performance Task : Second Quarter
Simple Science Experiment: Osmosis with Potato Slices
Reference: [Link]
TOPIC:
Osmosis, the spontaneous passage or diffusion of water or other solvents through a
semipermeable membrane (one that blocks the passage of dissolved substances—i.e., solutes). The
process, important in biology, was first thoroughly studied in 1877 by a German plant
physiologist, Wilhelm Pfeffer. Earlier workers had made less accurate studies of leaky membranes
(e.g., animal bladders) and the passage through them in opposite directions of water and escaping
substances. The general term osmose (now osmosis) was introduced in 1854 by a British chemist,
Thomas Graham.
Materials:
Distilled water, Measuring cup, Several potatoes, Apple corer or cork borer( Alternatively, you can use
a cutting board and knife), Table salt, Scale, Plastic cups or glasses (3), Spoon, Ruler, Paper, Felt tip
pen, Timer, Paper towels, Optional: Graphing paper
Prep Work:
1. Prepare three different saltwater solutions. Label the three cups with "0 grams", "2 grams",
and "4 grams". To each of the cups, add 100 mL of distilled water.
2. Weigh out 2 grams of table salt and add it to the cup that says "2 grams". Then weigh out
4 grams of table salt and add it to the cup labeled "4 grams". Use a spoon to mix the
solutions until all the salt is dissolved.
3. Use the apple corer or cork borer to prepare at least three potato cores. Ideally, you prepare
9 cores, so you can do your experiments in triplicates. Push the corer or borer all the way
through the potato and remove the core carefully so the potato piece stays intact.
Alternatively, you can cut the potato into strips that should all have the same dimensions.
They should be at least ½ inch thick and two inches long.
4. Create a table where you can enter the starting measurements (length and diameter) and
end measurements of each potato strip for every salt concentration (0, 2 and 4 grams).
5. Remove the potato skin from your cores or strips and rinse them quickly with water.
6. Then take a ruler and cut each of the strips into exactly the same length (to the millimeter).
Enter the start length of each potato strip into the table.
7. With a ruler measure the diameter or width of each potato strip as well. Again, enter your
measurements into the table.
Procedures:
1. Put one potato strip (or three if you do triplicates) into each of the cups with saltwater.
While you do that, feel the potato strips with your fingers and try to flex them a little bit.
How do they feel? Are they easy to bend?
2. Set your timer to 30 minutes and start it. Let the potato strips sit in the different saltwater
solutions for the whole time.
What do you think will happen to the strips in each of the cups?
3. After 30 minutes, inspect the potato strips inside the saltwater solution.
Do you notice any changes?
4. Take the potato strip(s) out of the "0 grams" cup and place them on a paper towel. While
doing that, feel them again and try to bend them slightly.
How do they feel? Are they easier or more difficult to bend than before?
5. Use the ruler to measure the exact length and diameter (to the millimeter) of each of the
potato strips and write the results in your table.
What do you notice about the potato strip measurements?
6. Next, take the potato strips from the "2 grams" cup. Again, feel them first in your hands and
then measure their lengths and diameter. Write your results into the table.
What changed about these potato strips?
7. Finally, repeat the same steps with the potato strips in the "4 grams" cup. Again, write your
results into the table.
Are your results for these similar or different compared to the other ones?
8. Compare all your potato strips and the results in your table.
How did the length and diameter of the potato strips change in each cup? Can you explain
your results?
Clean Up
Discard the saltwater solutions in the sink. Throw the potato strips into the compost and clean up
your workspace.
Observation Table on Length of Potato Strips
Different Salt Potato Strips Potato Strips Potato Strips
Concentration
1st 2nd 3rd 1st 2nd 3rd 1st 2nd 3rd
0g NaCl
2g NaCl
4g NaCl
Observation Table on Diameter of Potato Strips
Different Salt Potato Strips Potato Strips Potato Strips
Concentration 1st 2nd 3rd 1st 2nd 3rd 1st 2nd 3rd
0g NaCl
2g NaCl
4g NaCl
Questions:
1. What is/are the independent and dependent variable/s in this experiment?
2. How does texture, color and size of potato change with Salt Concentration?
3. What happened when a potato is placed in a salt solution?
4. What is the difference between the potato slices in the salt solution with the potato
slices in water?
5. Which solution is closest to being isotonic with respect to a potato cell? Which
solutions were hypertonic/hypotonic? How do you know?
Conclusion:
Challenge question:
1. Using the principles illustrated in this experiment, explain why you can’t drink
seawater when lost at sea.
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
