In this investigation I will be finding out the effect of osmosis on potato chips at different concentrations of sucrose solutions. .
Prediction .
Osmosis is defined as the movement of water molecules across a partially permeable membrane from a region of high water concentration to a region of low water concentration.
In a high concentration of water the amount of solute (e.g. sugar) is low. This could be called a weak or dilute solution. In a low concentration of water the amount of solute (e.g. sucrose) is high. This could be called a strong or concentrated solution. When two such solutions are divided by a semi-permeable membrane the water will move from the area of high concentration to the area of low concentration, until both sides are equal (have reached equilibrium).
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Weak solution partially permeable membrane Strong solution.
The solute molecule sugar is too large to diffuse through pore in the membrane.
Water molecules small enough to diffuse through easily.
Temperature can affect this by speeding or slowing down the process so we will try and keep the temperature the same.
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Net diffusion of water.
Knowing that osmosis will occur across a semi-permeable membrane whenever there is a difference between the water concentrations on the two sides of the membrane, and knowing that when this happens to cells they will either become turgid if water flows into them, or plasmolysised (when cytoplasm is drawn away from the cell wall) if water flows out of them, and thus change their volume, we want to test the hypothesis that: Plasmolysis .
Cell membrane.
The vacuole shrinks and water passes out of the cell by osmosis.
The gap between the cell wall and membrane causes water to pass out. The cytoplasm starts to peel away from the cell wall and has undergone plasmolysis.
