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Salt solution concentration Change in potato mass Same start temperature (room temperature) Same size of potato sample (50mm) Same potato Same waiting time (30 min) Same volume of salt solution (20cm3) Five boiling tubes, tube rack, measuring cylinder, distilled water, cork borer, mat, scalpel, ruler, white tile, scales accurate to 2dp, one potato, four salt solutions (0.25M, 0.50M, 0.75M, 1M)

Cut your fingers Hurt your hands Spills

Be careful when peeling the potato & place potato core on tile to cut when using the scalpel Place potato on mat when using the cork barer Wear a lab coat to protect you from spills

a measuring cylinder

0.00 0.25 0.50 0.75 1.00

2.42 2.42
2.54 2.54

2.53 2.53

Little Very little

0.11 0.11

4.5 4.5

2.39 2.48 2.34

2.41 2.15 2.18 2.14

Little Little Medium Medium

-0.13 -0.24 -0.30 -0.20

-5.1 -10.0 -12.1 -8.5

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Percentage change in potato mass at each salt concentration

6 4 2 0 Mass Change ( %) -2 -4 -6 -8 -10 -12 -14 Salt solution concentration (M) Mass change (%) Curve of best fit -10.0 -12.1 R = 0.9975 -5.1 0.00 0.25 0.50 0.75 1.00 4.5

-8.5

0.11 M

From the graph we can conclude that the change in potato mass decreases as the salt solution increases - there is a negative correlation between the mass change & the salt solution concentration. This can be explained by the process of osmosis which occurs in cells & that is defined as the movement of water molecules from an area of high water concentration to an area of low water concentration across a partially permeable membrane. If the salt solution is less concentrated than the solution inside the plant cells (potato cells) the water diffuses from the outside salt solution into the cytoplasm & the vacuole through the partially cell membrane. The vacuole swells & presses the cytoplasm against the cell wall and the cell becomes turgid (firm). This happened with the distilled water (0M) and is also confirmed by the little flexibility of the potato core as referred on the results table. If the salt solution is more concentrated than the solution inside the potato cells the water diffuses out of the vacuole & the cytoplasm, trough the partially cell membrane. The cell shrinks & becomes flaccid, the cytoplasm pulls away from the cell wall & the cell is plasmolysed. This happened with the salt concentrations of 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 & 1.00 M and is confirmed by the increase in flexibility referred on the results table. The isotonic point is 0.11 M.

1. Repeat the experiment 3 times for each salt solution & work out the average difference in mass 2. Do the experiment using salt solutions with an increase of 0.10 M instead of 0.25M 3. Dry carefully each potato core before reweigh it