Lab Report On Osmosis

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Pages: 7

Osmosis Lab
Mikayla Clarke
10/2/16

Abstract:
The purpose for the osmosis lab was to observe osmosis and determine the sucrose molarity of a potato and a carrot. This lab was separated into two different parts. In the first part of the lab, osmosis was observed by placing dialysis bags with various concentrations of sucrose into beakers of water. In the second part of the lab, the molar concentration of a potato and a carrot were determined by placing slices of potatoes and carrots in various concentrations of sucrose solutions. Osmosis was witnessed in the first part of the lab, and in the second part of the lab, the potato was determined to have a molar concentration of 0.35M and the carrot was determined to have a molar
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Osmosis is the diffusion of water across a semipermeable membrane. This movement of water is determined by the water balance between the cell and its surrounding environment. Anytime a cell or anything with a semipermeable membrane is placed in a solution, and they are not balanced, then osmosis occurs. During osmosis, water either moves in or out of the cell. This direction of movement is determined by if the solution is hypertonic, hypotonic, or isotonic to the cell. In a hypertonic solution, there is a greater concentration of a solute, therefore water will leave the cell and enter the solution. In a hypotonic solution, there is a smaller concentration of solute, therefore water leaves the solution and enters the cell. In an isotonic solution, the concentration of a solute is equal in both the cell and solution, so water moves in and out of the cell at the same rate as it enters and leaves the solution. The direction in which water will flow is determined by water potential. Water moves from an area of high water potential to low water potential. Water potential is determined by the molarity of a substance, and physical pressure.Therefore, substances with lower molarities and higher pressures will have higher water potential, causing water to diffuse out of them. The goal of the experiment is to observe osmosis and to determine the molar concentration of a potato and a carrot. This goal will be accomplished by using background knowledge of osmosis and water potential to determine which way the water will diffuse in both parts of the lab.
Hypothesis and