Potatos: Osmosis and Water Essay example

Submitted By LucyLucyLoo

Words: 460

Pages: 2

Open Document

Osmosis is the net movement of water across a selectively permeable membrane driven by a difference in solute concentrations on the two sides of the membrane. A selectively permiable membrane is one that allows unrestricted passage of water, but not solute molecules or ions.
Different concentrations of solute molecules leads to different concentrations of free water molecules on either side of the membrane. On the side of the membrane with higher free water concentration (i.e. a lower concentration of solute), more water molecules will strike the pores in the membrane in a give interval of time. More strikes equates to more molecules passing through the pores, which in turn results in net diffusion of water from the compartment with high concentration of free water to that with low concentration of free water.
The key to remember about osmosis is that water flows from the solution with the lower solute concentration into the solution with higher solute concentration. This means that water flows in response to differences in molarity across a membrane. The size of the solute particles does not influence osmosis. Equilibrium is reached once sufficient water has moved to equalize the solute concentration on both sides of the membrane, and at that point, net flow of water ceases.
Diffusion of water across a membrane - osmosis - generates a pressure called osmotic pressure. If the pressure in the compartment into which water is flowing is raised to the equivalent of the osmotic pressure, movement of water will stop.
Diffusion is the net movement of molecules down a concentration gradient. This process allows small molecules such as oxygen and carbon dioxide to cross the plasma membrane. Most polar molecules such as sugars and proteins cannot freely cross this membrane. Alough water molecules are polar they are small enough to pass

potato lab Essay

9, 2015 Macroscopic Osmosis in Potato Tissue Data: Figure #1 The Effects of Osmosis on Potato Tissues: Salt Concentration Potato Mass Before Solution Potato Mass after Solution Percent Change Observations 0% 2.13 2.19 2.8% The potato slices sunk to the bottom and the water was clear. 1% 1.98 1.94 2.06% The potato slices sunk and the water was mostly clear. 5% 2.19 1.96 -10.5% The potato slices floated for a while and then sunk; water was murky. 20% 1.95 1.69 -13.3% The potato slices stayed floating…

Words 400 - Pages 2

Osmosis Potato Lab Report Biology 4u Essay

movement of water molecules across a semi-permeable membrane is the process of osmosis. If there is a solute and a solvent, each containing different concentration levels, then the water would move along its concentration gradient until each side of the membrane are equal. The water moves because the membrane is impermeable to the solute and the solute concentrations may differ on either side of the membrane. Water molecules may move in and out of the cell, but there is no net diffusion of water. Water…

Words 2115 - Pages 9

Woah: Concentration and Potato Slices Essay

which water crosses membranes from regions of high water concentration to regions of low water concentration is called osmosis. Osmosis is the process whereby water moves across a cell membrane by diffusion. Diffusion takes place when the molecules of a substance tend to move from areas of higher concentration to areas of lower concentration. Involved in this process are hypotonic, hypertonic, and isotonic solutions. In this experiment, we learned about osmosis and diffusion through potato cores…

Words 721 - Pages 3

Lab Report On Osmosis

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…

Words 1625 - Pages 7

Essay about Osmosis and Hypertonic Potato Cores

is Biology: Osmosis and Diffusion Lab using Potato Cores Class: 3B Mr. Boyer Name: Simon Han Abstract: In this experiment, we learnt about Osmosis and Diffusion through potato cores in different concentration of sucrose, (water, .2, .4, .6, .8, 1.0). We realized that the…

Words 1583 - Pages 7

Potato Osmosis Lab Report

Osmosis in Potato inquiry Introduction Cell membranes are permeable to water and all cell membranes are selectively permeable. This means some substances are allowed to enter the interior of the cell and some substances are not allowed to enter the interior of the cell. Osmosis is the movement of water across membranes to balance solute. Osmosis moves water from a hypotonic area to a hypertonic area, also known as diffusion. This process is especially important in a plant cell because it allows…

Words 761 - Pages 4

The Process Of Osmosis

Footman/Audrey Elite 100989648 BIO 1103 A08 Introduction Osmosis is the diffusion of free water across a selectively permeable membrane, and diffusion is the spontaneous movement of a substance down its concentration or electrochemical gradient, from a region where it is more concentrated to a region where it is less concentrated (Reece et al., 2014). The role of osmosis to the cell is to transport water across cell membranes, balancing the water between the cell and its environment optimizing the cells…

Words 1756 - Pages 8

Diffusion: Osmosis and Sucrose Essay

Diffusion and Osmosis lab Abstract: In this experiment, we learnt about Osmosis and Diffusion through potato slices and dialysis tubes in different concentration of sucrose; (Di water, .2, .4, .6, .8, and 1.0). However, our result was quite off in both of out labs but although our graph and our results were off, it still partially backed up our hypothesis. Introduction: Osmosis is a special kind of diffusion in which water moves through a selectively permeable membrane while…

Words 517 - Pages 3

Essay on Biology Lab Report Ib Hl Osmosis

Investigating the phenomenon of Osmosis in plant tissues: Potato in different concentrations of NaCl Tutor: Maria Tsaousidou By Marina Gkritzioudi Biology Lab Report 2 Investigating the phenomenon of Osmosis in plant tissues: Potato in different concentrations of NaCl Tutor: Maria Tsaousidou By Marina Gkritzioudi Investigating the phenomenon of Osmosis in plant tissues: Potato in different concentrations of NaCl Introduction: Osmosis is the movement of water molecules through a semipermeable…

Words 1932 - Pages 8

Plasmolysis In Potato Cells

Plasmolysis of potato cells Introduction: The aim of this experiment was to determine the different affect that distilled water (DW) and sodium chloride (NaCl) have on plasmolysis in potato cells. Plasmolysis is the contraction of the protoplasm in a living cell when water is removed by osmosis, resulting in the contraction of the cytoplasm away from the cell walls, in other words the cell becomes dehydrated (Lawrence, E. 1995). Substances are held within a cell with biological tissue such as…

Words 1561 - Pages 7