Pedro Rodriguez

Mrs. Pita
AP Biology Period 6
30 September 2013
AP Biology Investigation 4: Diffusion and Osmosis
Abstract:
This lab addresses the properties o osmosis a!d diusio! a!d their u!"tio! i!
mai!tai!i!g homeostasis i! the "ell. #e used t$o phospholipid bilayer models to
simulate the mo%eme!t o $ater a!d !utrie!ts a"ross a "ell membra!e a!d obser%e
osmosis i! li%i!g tissue. &! Part 3' $e dire"tly obser%e osmosis i! a li%i!g spe"ime!. &!
all parts o this lab' ater perormi!g a guided a"ti%ity' $e are the! dire"ted to desig! their
o$! e(perime!ts' to urther de%elop our u!dersta!di!g o the topi"s e(plored. )ur
u!dersta!di!g o these e(er"ises $ill allo$ us to e(plai! ho$ "ell size a!d shape ae"t
rates o diusio!' as $ell as pose s"ie!tii" *uestio!s about the sele"ti%e permeability
properties o "ell membra!es.
Introduction:
The absorptio! o !utrie!ts' e("retio! o "ellular $astes' a!d the e("ha!ge o
respiratory gases are lie pro"esses $hi"h depe!d upo! ei"ie!t tra!sport o substa!"es
i!to' out o' a!d throughout li%i!g "ells. +iusio! is o!e o the most "ommo! a!d
ei"ie!t mea!s by $hi"h substa!"es are passi%ely tra!sported bet$ee! "ells a!d their
a*ueous e!%iro!me!t. +iusio! is the mo%eme!t o a substa!"e ,li*uid or gas- alo!g a
"o!"e!tratio! gradie!t rom high to lo$ "o!"e!tratio!. +iusio! is %ital to ma!y lie
u!"tio!s o a "ell. +iusio! allo$s the tra!sport o %ital !utrie!ts a!d "ompou!ds
$ithout the e(pe!diture o e!ergy.
The "ell membra!e is the sele"ti%ely permeable barrier $hose total sura"e area is
importa!t to regulati!g the substa!"es that diuse i!to or out o the "ell. Small' !eutrally
"harged mole"ules su"h as o(yge!' "arbo! dio(ide' a!d glu"ose "a! pass reely through
the membra!e' $hile the diusio! o other materials is restri"ted. Materials that "a!!ot
diuse a"ross the membra!e or !eed to be tra!sported agai!st a diusio! gradie!t "a! be
a"ti%ely tra!sported a"ross the membra!e $ith the e(pe!diture o e!ergy. )smosis is a
spe"ial .i!d o diusio! that o""urs as $ater is separated by a sele"ti%ely permeable
membra!e $ith diere!t solute "o!"e!tratio!s o! either side o the membra!e. +uri!g
osmosis' $ater mo%es rom regio!s o lo$ solute "o!"e!tratio! to regio!s o high solute
"o!"e!tratio! $ithout the e(pe!diture o e!ergy.
)rga!isms rarely e(ist i! e!%iro!me!ts $ith solute "o!"e!tratio!s that mat"h
their "ytoplasm/ there are usually more or e$er dissol%ed parti"les i! o!e o t$o
"ompared solutio!s separated by a membra!e' su"h as a "ell a!d the media i! $hi"h it
e(ists. A hyperto!i" solutio! is a solutio! i! $hi"h the solute "o!"e!tratio! is higher
outside o the "ell/ thereore' $ater $ill lo$ to the e(ter!al e!%iro!me!t' "ausi!g the "ell
to shri!.. 0ypoto!i" solutio!s "o!sist o a lo$ "o!"e!tratio! o solutes outside the "ell/
thereore' $ater $ill lo$ i!to the "ell' "ausi!g "ellular e(pa!sio!. &! the "ase o pla!t
"ells $ith "ell $alls' e(pa!sio! is restri"ted' so pressure builds. This pressure is "alled
turgor pressure.
&soto!i" solutio!s' o! the other ha!d' are solutio!s i! $hi"h the solute a!d sol%e!t
"o!"e!tratio!s are at e*uilibrium1 there is !o !et lo$ o materials a"ross the sele"ti%ely
permeable membra!e.
)!ly a solute2s relati%e "o!"e!tratio!' or $ater pote!tial ,y-' ae"ts the rate o
osmosis. #ater pote!tial "o!sists o t$o "ompo!e!ts 3 pressure pote!tial ,y p- the
e(ertio! o pressure o! a solutio!/ a!d solute ,or osmoti"- pote!tial ,ys-' the relati%e
"o!"e!tratio! o solutes $ithi! the t$o solutio!s.
Purpose:
&! this lab' you $ill mi"ros"opi"ally obser%e a! Elodea densa pla!t lea a!d e(plore the
ee"ts o diere!t solutio! "o!"e!tratio!s o! the "ells. 4ou $ill the! use the solutio!s to
determi!e the $ater pote!tial o pla!t tissues' su"h as $hite or s$eet potato tubers.
Hypothesis:
& a pla!t "ell is pla"ed i! a solutio! the! the "o!"e!tratio! o the solutio! $ill determi!e
$hether the pla!t "ells $ill either lose $ater' "ausi!g plasmolysis' or gai! $ater'
i!"reasi!g its turgor pressure.
Materials:
1 Thermometer
1 5raduated "yli!der
6 Plasti" "ups
160 m7 Red mystery solutio!
160 m7 )ra!ge mystery solutio!
160 m7 4ello$ mystery solutio!
160 m7 5ree! mystery solutio!
160 m7 Blue mystery solutio!
186 m7 +istilled $ater
1 Mi"ros"ope slide
6 Paper to$els
1 Pair o or"eps
1 9ompou!d mi"ros"ope
1 S"alpel
1 9o%erslip
6 Potato tubers
1 Bala!"e
1 Ruler
Procedure:
Part A ! Pro"edure: Stru"tured in"uiry
1. :si!g the or"eps' remo%e a! Elodea densa lea rom its stem a!d pla"e it ge!tly o! a
"lea! mi"ros"ope slide.
2. Add t$o to three drops o distilled $ater to the slide a!d "o%er $ith a "o%erslip.
3. ;(ami!e the "ell at <0= mag!ii"atio! a!d !ote the "hara"teristi"s o the "ells. &! your
lab !oteboo.' dra$ se%eral "ells that sho$ a good represe!tatio! o the "ells you
obser%ed. &! your dra$i!g' label all %isible stru"tures a!d orga!elles.
<. Remo%e the mi"ros"ope slide. 9hoose o!e o the solutio!s rom Part 2 o this lab. Add
t$o to three drops o this solutio! a"ross the lea sample.
6. Allo$ the slide to sit or t$o to three mi!utes i! the solutio! a!d re>e(ami!e the
sample u!der the mi"ros"ope.
>To speed up the rea"tio! to the "ells i! solutio!' pla"e a paper to$el o! the
opposite e!d o the "o%erslip to $i". your solutio! through the "ells.
6. ?ote the appeara!"e o the "ells. &! your lab !oteboo.' dra$ se%eral "ells that sho$ a
good represe!tatio! o the "ells you obser%ed. &! your dra$i!g' label all %isible stru"tures
a!d orga!elles.
Part B! Pro"edure: guided in"uiry
1. Ma.e potato "ores $ith a borer or use pre>made potato bores.
2. #eigh ea"h "ore a!d measure the le!gth o ea"h "ore. Re"ord your data i! your
laboratory !oteboo..
3. Pla"e o!e or more potato "ores i! ea"h o the mystery su"rose solutio!s.
<. Re"ord your obser%atio!s.
6. #ait 30 mi!utes.
6. Ater 30 mi!utes' re>$eigh the "ores' a!d "al"ulate the "ha!ges i! their $eight. Re"ord
your data i! your laboratory !oteboo..
#esults$Data %ollection$Analysis:
Part B:
&olution Initial Mass
'g(
)inal Mass 'g( %hange in
Mass 'g(
* %hange in
Mass
Mystery Blue 0.6 0.8 0.1 16.8@
Mystery #ed 0.6 0.6 0.1 20@
Mystery Orange 0.6 0.6 0.1 20@
Mystery +ello, 0.3 0.1 >0.2 >66.8@
Mystery -reen 0.3 0.3 0 0@
Mystery %lear 0.3 0.3 0 0@
&olution Molar
%oncentration
&olute
Potential
Pressure
Potential
.ater Potential
Mystery Blue 0.2 ><.6< 0 Bars ><.6<
Mystery #ed 0.< >A.08 0 Bars >A.08
Mystery Orange 0.6 13.6 0 Bars >13.6
Mystery +ello, 1.0 >22.8 0 Bars >22.8
Mystery -reen 0.B >1B.21 0 Bars >1B.21
Mystery %lear 0 0 0 Bars 0
Potato %ore 0 0 0 Bars 0
Assumi!g the solute "o!"e!tratio! o the solutio! at e*uilibrium is .3 M' $hat is the
$ater pote!tial o the potato "oreC Sho$ 9al"ulatio!s.
.ater potential/ 0 1 2 / 0
%onclusions and Discussion:
)! the $hole' our results i!"lude or the most part a positi%e "ha!ge i! mass as
$ell as ma!y !egati%e $ater pote!tials. The mass o the "ells put i! the ea"h o the
diere!t solutio!s ge!erally i!"reased due to diusio! through the semipermeable
membra!e rom the areas o higher "o!"e!tratio! ,outside the bag- to the areas o lo$er
"o!"e!tratio! ,i!side the bag-. The o!ly e("eptio! $as the "ells put i! the Albumi!DSalt
solutio!1 a loss o mass o""urred due to diusio! rom the area o higher "o!"e!tratio!
,i!side the bag- to the area o lo$er "o!"e!tratio! ,outside the "ell-. ;rrors that "ould
ha%e ta.e! pla"e i!"lude pla"i!g the $ro!g bag i! the $ro!g solutio!' improperly tyi!g
the bag' or e%e! addi!g oreig! substa!"es to the solutio!s. The results do i! a"t agree
$ith the hypothesis as the "o!"e!tratio! o the solutio!s "ha!ged the mass o the "ells
through diusio!. Suggestio!s or impro%eme!t may i!"lude $or.i!g more ei"ie!tly i!
the lab statio!s by ha%i!g ea"h perso! doi!g solely o!e tas. su"h as ha%i!g o!e perso!
$eighi!g the "ubes' o!e perso! timi!g the pro"ess' a!d the last perso! prepari!g the !e(t
e(perime!t $ith the Elodea pla!t "ell.
3uestions
1. Ho, does the si4e of the potato core affect the rate of diffusion5
2. Does the 6ind of potato affect rate of diffusion5
3. Does the surface area of the cell affect the ,ay it diffuses5
4. .hat type of potato allo,s the diffusion to happen the "uic6est5
5. Does the potato s6in help slo, or "uic6en diffusion5
6. Does the amount of time the potato cores spend outside affect the rate of
diffusion5
7. Does food coloring play a role in the diffusion of the cell5
8. Ho, does the ,ater potential affect turgor in the cell5
9. Ho, ,ould diffusion occur in other types of solutions5
10. Ho, ,ould this diffusion occur in different concentrations but in the same
plant cells5
11. .ould the rate of diffusion be different in other 6inds of plant cells besides
Elodea densa?
12. .hat other types of solutions ,ould cause the Elodea cells to act differently
than they did in this e7periment5
Part %8Open In"uiry:
Introduction:
This e(perime!t $as perormed to demo!strate the pro"ess o osmosis a!d to
sho$ %isible as $ell as *ua!titati%e e%ide!"e pro%i!g that osmosis o""urred. Through the
tas.s o determi!i!g the per"e!t "o!"e!tratio!s i! t$o diere!t solutio!s' $e $ere
studyi!g the pro"ess o osmosis. )smosis is the best $ay to perorm this e(perime!t
be"ause as $e $e!t through the e(perime!t' the $eight o the bea.erDdialysis tubi!g
"ha!ged a!d the o!ly logi"al e(pla!atio! $as that diusio! o $ater had o""urred.
)smosis is the diusio! o $ater. +epe!di!g o! $hi"h $as hea%ier ,the bea.er or the
dialysis tubi!g- ater the e(perime!t $as perormed' the dire"tio! o $ater diusio! $as
appare!t. & the bea.er $as hea%ier' the! that implies that the $ater diused rom the
dialysis tubi!g to the bea.er. &! "o!trast to this pro"ess' i the dialysis tubi!g $as hea%ier
ater the e(perime!t' the! the $ater $ould ha%e diused rom the bea.er to the dialysis
tubi!g. #e sa$ both these pro"esses o osmosis o""ur i! our e(perime!ts be"ause $e had
t$o diere!t solutio!s.
Materials and Methods:
7ab Pro"edure1
Materials i!"lude dialysis bag' $ater' su"rose' a!d bea.ers
1. #e illed the dialysis bag $ith appro(imately 10 grams o u!.!o$! solutio!.
2. #e illed the bea.er $ith about 200 grams o $ater a!d 2 grams o su"rose.
3. The! $e "ompletely submerged the dialysis bag i!to the bea.er $ith solutio! a!d it
remai!ed i! there or t$e!ty mi!utes.
<. ?e(t $e remo%ed the dialysis bag rom the bea.er' dried it o' a!d measured its mass.
6. #e used the mass o the dialysis bag that $as obtai!ed' a!d determi!ed the grams o
su"rose a!d $ater prese!t i! the bea.er. #e did this by "al"ulati!g the "o!"e!tratio! o
the u!.!o$! solutio!' a!d set up a proportio! $hereby ( $as e*ui%ale!t to the grams o
su"rose origi!ally i! the dialysis bag.
Ater determi!i!g the mass o star"h a!d $ater i!side the bea.er a!d the mass
o u!.!o$! solutio! i!side the dialysis tubi!g both beore a!d ater osmosis' $e "a!
perorm some data a!alysis o! the results1 Be"ause $e .!o$ that o!ly $ater "a! diuse
through the membra!e' the gai! i! mass o solutio! i!side the dialysis tubi!g is e(a"tly
e*ual to the loss o $ater rom the bea.er.
Thus' based o! the beore a!d ater masses o solutio!s A ,table A- a!d B ,table B-' $e
ha%e that solutio! A origi!ally had a per"e!t "ompositio! by mass o 1.0@ a!d that
solutio! B origi!ally had a per"e!t "ompositio! o 0.A@. 0o$e%er' these results may be
i!a""urate due to ma!y sour"es o error that $ill later be dis"ussed.
DI&%9&&IO::
The e(perime!t $as desig!ed to e!able us to "al"ulate the per"e!t
"o!"e!tratio! o star"h i! solutio!s A a!d B. :si!g a pro"edure i!%ol%i!g osmosis
o""urri!g bet$ee! the u!.!o$! substa!"es a!d a solutio! o .!o$! "o!"e!tratio!' $e
$ere able to "al"ulate the per"e!t "ompositio! o star"h i! solutio!s A a!d B. As the
results demo!strate' $e determi!ed that A origi!ally had a per"e!t "ompositio! by mass
o 1.0@ a!d that solutio! B origi!ally had a per"e!t "ompositio! o 0.A@.
#he! solutio! A $as bei!g tested' it $as obser%ed that the dialysis tubi!g illed
$ith solutio! A $eighed less ater osmosis tha! it did beore osmosis. As the dialysis
tubi!g is semi>permeable a!d allo$s o!ly $ater through' $e "a! "o!"lude that $ater
diused out o the tubi!g a!d i!to the bea.er. This i!di"ates that solutio! A had a lo$er
"o!"e!tratio! o star"h tha! that o the solutio! i! the bea.erEho$e%er' this $as !ot
supported by our "al"ulatio!s.
#he! solutio! B $as bei!g tested' the dialysis tubi!g illed $ith solutio! B
$eighed more ater osmosis tha! it did beore osmosis. &t "a! be "o!"luded' thereore'
that $ater diused i!to the tubi!g a!d out o the bea.er. This i!di"ates that solutio! B
had a greater "o!"e!tratio! o star"h tha! that o the solutio! i! the bea.er. This $as
supported by the "al"ulatio!s made.
0o$e%er' there $ere possible a"tors or error i! this e(perime!t. The a"t that
the pro"edure $as !o!sta!dard may ha%e had some impa"t/ the amou!t o time that $as
!eeded or osmosis to o""ur ully $as u!.!o$!. The tubi!g may !ot ha%e bee!
submerged i! the bea.er or lo!g e!ough to rea"h e*uilibrium.
%onclusion:
The $ord osmosis reers to the diusio! o $ater a"ross a sele"ti%ely
permeable membra!e i! order to e%e!ly distribute "o!"e!tratio! le%els o! both sides o
the membra!e. &! this lab' $e ha%e used spe"ii" materials a!d methods to prese!t this
pro"ess. )ur hypothesis' i! $hi"h $e predi"ted that by iguri!g out the mass diere!"es
$e $ould be able to igure out the per"e!t "ompositio! o the star"h i! both the solutio!s'
$as "orre"tly pro%e!. #e stimulated our pro"ess a!d $ere able to "orre"tly orm a
reaso!able "o!"lusio! a!d per"e!t "ompositio!. )ur pro"ess used the aspe"t o osmosis
a!d diusio! a!d pro%ided us $ith a great lab.