Osmosis Investigation
Level of Achievement
Achievement
Standard
Analyse the relationship
between structure and
function at cell, organ and
body system levels.
Identify and construct
questions and problems
that they can investigate
scientifically.
Identify variables to be
changed, measured and
controlled
Construct
representations of data to
reveal and analyse
patterns and trends, and
use these when justifying
conclusions.
Explain how
modifications to methods
could improve the quality
of data and apply own
scientific knowledge and
investigation findings to
evaluate claims made by
others.
Use appropriate language
and representations to
communicate science
ideas, methods and
findings in a range of text
types.
A B C D E
Well above Above At expected Below Well below
expected expected standard expected expected
standard standard standard standard/Not
shown
Comprehensively Detailed Analysis of Analyses the Attempts to analyse Minimal attempt to
analyses the the relationship relationship between the relationship analyse the
relationship between between structure structure and function between structure relationship between
structure and function and function at cell, at cell, organ and and function at cell, structure and function
at cell, organ and organ and body body system levels. organ and body at cell, organ and
body system levels. system levels. system levels. body system levels.
Students creatively Students consistently Students identify and Students attempt to Limited ability to
identify and construct identify and construct construct questions identify and construct construct questions
questions and questions and and problems that questions and and problems that
problems that they problems that they they can investigate problems that they they can investigate
can investigate can investigate scientifically. can investigate scientifically.
scientifically. scientifically. scientifically.
Clearly identifies all Clearly identifies Identifies some main Identifies some Minimal identification
variables to be most variables to be variables to be variables to be of variables.
changed, measured changed, measured changed, measured changed, measured
and controlled. and controlled. and controlled. and controlled.
Students construct Students construct Students construct Limited ability to Students construct
clear and detailed clear representations representations of construct some representations
representations of of their data to reveal their data to reveal representations of of their data to reveal
their data to reveal and analyse patterns and analyse patterns their data to reveal and analyse patterns
and analyse patterns and trends, and use and trends, and use and analyse patterns and trends, and
and trends, and use these when justifying these when justifying and trends. attempt to use these
these insightfully their conclusions. their conclusions. when justifying their
when justifying their conclusions.
conclusions.
Clear and detailed Clear explanation of Explains how Limited explanation Minimal explanation
explanation of how how modifications to modifications to of how modifications of how modifications
modifications to methods could methods could to methods could to methods could
methods could improve the quality of improve the quality of improve the quality of improve the quality of
improve the quality of their data and their data and applies their data. their data.
their data and logically applies their their own scientific
insightfully applies own scientific knowledge and
their own scientific knowledge and investigation findings
knowledge and investigation findings to evaluate claims
investigation findings to evaluate claims made by others.
to evaluate claims made by others.
made by others.
Consistently and Consistently uses Uses appropriate Use some Minimal use
accurately uses appropriate language language and appropriate language appropriate language
appropriate language and representations representations to and representations and representations
and representations to communicate communicate science to communicate to communicate
to communicate science ideas, ideas, methods and science ideas. science ideas.
science ideas, methods and findings findings in a range of
methods and findings in a range of text text types.
in a range of text types.
types.
 Year 8 Science: Osmosis Investigation

Background Information:

The cell membrane plays an important role in maintaining a stable cell environment. Some particles can pass

freely through the membrane and others cannot. Due to this the cell membrane is decribed as being semi-

permeable. The movement of water across a semi-permeable membrane is called osmosis (pronounced oz-

mow-sis). The rate at which water will move across the cell membrane depends on the concentration of

dissolved particles (e.g. salt) on each side on the membrane. In this investigation the effect of changing the

concentration of dissolved particles (salt) in the extracellular environment on osmosis will be observed.

Figure 1. The process of osmosis (water moving across a semi permeable membrane).

Materials:
3 x 250 mL beakers
a potato
Electronic balance
Stop watch
Paper Towel
100 mL measuring cylinder
Salt solutions of varying concentrations (0%, 5%, 10% and 20%)

Method:
1. Peel the potatos and carefully cut out four (1cm x 1cm x 1cm) cubes.
2. Record the initial mass (g) of each individual potato cube and record them in the table below.
3. Using a measuring cylinder measure 50 mL of each salt solution (0%, 10% and 20%) and pour
them into separate beakers. Label the beakers with the solutions that they contain.
4. Place a potato cube in each salt solution (make sure you have recorded the initial mass of each
cube beforehand)
5. Record the time that the potato cubes are put in the solutions.
6. Leave the potato cubes in the solutions for 1 hour.
7. Remove the cubes from the solutions and record their final mass.
Results:

Concetration of Initial Mass of Final Mass of Change in Mass Change in Mass of

Salt Solution (%) Potato Cube (g) Potato Cube (g) of Potato Cube (g) Potato Cube (%)
0
5
10
20

Other observations:

Hint: do the potato cubes in different concentration salt solutions feel different?