Experiment 3 Date: 26.02.

2008

Aim: To study the movement of substances across a semi-permeable

membrane.
Problem Statement: What factor influences the diffusion of substances
across a semi-permeable membrane such as Visking tubing?
Hypothesis: Substances with small molecules can move across the Visking
tubing.
Apparatus: Test tubes, beaker, syringe, dropper, stopwatch, thread.
Materials: Visking tubing (20cm) , 5% starch solution, 5% glucose solution,
iodine solution and Benedicts reagent, distilled water.

Variables:
Controlled Variable: concentration and volume of starch solution and glucose
solution/ time taken.
Manipulated Variable: type of test (Benedict’s test and Iodine test)
Responding variable: Colour changes of the solution.

Technique used: Benedict test and iodine test is carried out to the contents
of Visking tubing and the contents of beaker. The colour changes is then
observed.
Procedure:

(draw and label as shown on the white board)

1. A Visking tubing is immersed in water until it is soft.

2. One end of the Visking tubing is firmly tightened with thread.
3. The Visking tubing is then filled up with 10 ml of starch solution and 10 ml
of glucose solution.The other end of the Visking tubing is tightened. The
colour of the solution in the Visking tubing is recorded.
4.The whole Visking tubing is rinsed with distilled water.
5. The Visking tubing is placed in a beaker of water with 10 ml iodine solution
in it (500 ml water + 3 ml iodine).
6. The experiment is set aside for 30 minutes.
7. After 30 minutes, the Visking tubing is taken from the beaker and placed
in a dry beaker.
8. The colour of the solution in the Visking tubing and in the beaker is
recorded.
9. The solution in the Visking tubing and solution in the beaker are tested
for the presence of reducing sugar (glucose) by using Benedict’s test.
a) 2 ml of the solution to be tested is put into a test tube. 1 ml of the
Benedict’s
reagent is added to it.
b) The test tube is placed in a hot water bath and heated. Any change in
colour is recorded.

Result:
Test Contents of Visking tubing Contents of beaker
Initial colour Final colour Initial colour Final colour
Iodine test Clear Blue black Brown Brown
Benedict test Blue Blue Blue Orange
precipitate
Discussion:
1. Glucose molecules are present outside the Visking tubing. Starch molecules
remain in the Visking tubing.
2. This shows that glucose molecules can move across the wall of Visking
tubing while starch molecules cannot.
3. Hence, glucose molecules are smaller than starch molecules.

Conclusion: The hypothesis is accepted. Substances consisting of small

molecules can move across the semi-permeable membrane (Visking tubing).