+-Joseph Hammond

Nicholas Fong
Terrin Strickland
Omari Prince
Cell Tonicity Lab
Experiment Steps:
1. Measure 200 ml of water into a plastic cup. Repeat the process six times.
2. Label cups in intervals of 5% ranging from 0% to 30%.
3. Weigh salt by mass corresponding to the percentages on the cups and mix the
salt into the corresponding cups to create saline solutions;
0% of 200 ml= 0 g of salt
5% of 200 ml= 10 g of salt
10% of 200 ml= 20 g of salt
15% of 200 ml= 30 g of salt
20% of 200 ml= 40 g of salt
25% of 200 ml= 50 g of salt
4. Cut 6 sections of potato of relatively equal size and weigh each individually.
5. Place one section in each solution and let sit for twenty minutes.
6. Observe each section and weigh the mass of each potato sections individually.
7. Calculate the percentage of mass gained/lost by the sections of potato.
8. Analyze the results to determine the state of each solution
Data Table:
% Concentration

Mass of
Potato

Mass after
Osmosis

Percentage
Change

Visual Observations

0%

2.2 g

2.3 g

+4.3%

Potato underwater

5%

4.4 g

3.8 g

-15.8%

Potato underwater

10%

4.1 g

3.5 g

-17.1%

Potato upright underwater

15%

4.8 g

4.3 g

-11.6%

Potato floating

20%

3.7 g

3.3 g

-12.1%

Potato floating

25%

4.6 g

4.3 g

-6.9%

Potato floating

Measurable Results:
The experiment expresses a variety of tonicity in relation to the state of the solution;

 Isotonic Solution- An isotonic solution is one where the mass of the cell stays the
same, therefore there are no viable examples in the experiment. However, due to the
difference in the change from the 0% to the 5% solutions, it is clear that an isotonic
solution is somewhere in between the two.
Hypotonic Solution- Due to the growth in mass of all but one of the samples, the
range of 5% to 25% solutions are all hypotonic. This happened because of the large
amounts of salt used in the experiment, filling the sample with water.
Hypertonic Solution- The first solution, the one of pure water, was the only
hypertonic solution. This happened because all of the salt in the sample left into the cup
leaving the potato slightly lighter than the beginning.

Patient Explanation:
The potato samples dropped in the saltwater solutions have the same primary concept as
injecting you with fluids. If pure water is given, you, like the potato sample, with dry up even
further. Pure water is not a healthy option to fix your dehydration as it will only dehydrate you
more, possibly even killing you. However, adding fluids with too much salinity will fill you with too
much water. Vary salty solutions are not a solution either, as too much water too quickly is not
healthy, maybe even drowning your internal organs. With the slight amount of salt in the IV
fluids, the water will seamlessly enter your system, fixing your dehydration, without the over- or
underhydration of your body.