Osmosis Investigation

Achievement Standard
By the end of Year 8, students compare physical and chemical changes and use the particle model to explain and predict the
properties and behaviours of substances. They identify different forms of energy and describe how energy transfers and
transformations cause change in simple systems. They compare processes of rock formation, including the time scales
involved. They analyse the relationship between structure and function at cell, organ and body system levels. Students examine the different science
knowledge used in occupations. They explain how evidence has led to an improved understanding of a scientific idea and describe situations in which
scientists collaborated to generate solutions to contemporary problems.

Students identify and construct questions and problems that they can investigate scientifically. They consider safety and ethics when planning
investigations, including designing field or experimental methods. They identify variables to be changed, measured and controlled. Students construct
representations of their data to reveal and analyse patterns and trends, and use these when justifying their conclusions. They explain how modifications to
methods could improve the quality of their data and apply their own scientific knowledge and investigation findings to evaluate claims made by others.
They use appropriate language and representations to communicate science ideas, methods and findings in a range of text types.

Level of Achievement
A B C D E
Achievement Well above Above expected At expected Below expected Well below
expected standard standard standard expected
Standard standard standard/Not
shown
Analyse the Comprehensively Detailed Analysis of Analyses the Attempts to analyse Minimal attempt to
relationship between analyses the the relationship relationship between the relationship analyse the
structure and function relationship between between structure structure and function between structure relationship between
at cell, organ and body structure and function and function at cell, at cell, organ and and function at cell, structure and function
system levels. 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.
Identify and construct Students creatively Students consistently Students identify and Students attempt to Limited ability to
questions and identify and construct identify and construct construct questions identify and construct construct questions
problems that they can questions and questions and and problems that questions and and problems that
investigate problems that they problems that they they can investigate problems that they they can investigate
scientifically. can investigate can investigate scientifically. can investigate scientifically.
scientifically. scientifically. scientifically.

Identify variables to be Clearly identifies all Clearly identifies Identifies some main Identifies some Minimal identification
changed, measured variables to be most variables to be variables to be variables to be of variables.
and controlled changed, measured changed, measured changed, measured changed, measured
and controlled. and controlled. and controlled. and controlled.
Construct Students construct Students construct Students construct Limited ability to Students construct
representations of clear and detailed clear representations representations of construct some representations
data to reveal and representations of of their data to reveal their data to reveal representations of of their data to reveal
analyse patterns and their data to reveal and analyse patterns and analyse patterns their data to reveal and analyse patterns
trends, and use these and analyse patterns and trends, and use and trends, and use and analyse patterns and trends, and
when justifying and trends, and use these when justifying these when justifying and trends. attempt to use these
conclusions. these insightfully their conclusions. their conclusions. when justifying their
when justifying their conclusions.
conclusions.
Explain how Clear and detailed Clear explanation of Explains how Limited explanation Minimal explanation
modifications to explanation of how how modifications to modifications to of how modifications of how modifications
methods could modifications to methods could methods could to methods could to methods could
improve the quality of methods could improve the quality of improve the quality of improve the quality of improve the quality of
data and apply own improve the quality of their data and their data and applies their data. their data.
scientific knowledge their data and logically applies their their own scientific
and investigation insightfully applies own scientific knowledge and
findings to evaluate their own scientific knowledge and investigation findings
claims made by knowledge and investigation findings to evaluate claims
others. investigation findings to evaluate claims made by others.
to evaluate claims made by others.
made by others.

Use appropriate Consistently and Consistently uses Uses appropriate Use some Minimal use
language and accurately uses appropriate language language and appropriate language appropriate language
representations to appropriate language and representations representations to and representations and representations
communicate science and representations to communicate communicate science to communicate to communicate
ideas, methods and to communicate science ideas, ideas, methods and science ideas. science ideas.
findings in a range of science ideas, methods and findings findings in a range of
text types. methods and findings in a range of text text types.
in a range of text types.
types.
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. 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.

Materials

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

Method
1. Peel the potatos and carefully cut out 3 (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 50mL 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.
 **Remember to write in 3rd person past tense (No I did, we expect, I think etc.)**

Use the template below to help write your report. There are dot points under each section giving hints about what to
write about.

______

Title: Simple sentence introducing experiment

Introduction (5-6 sentences)

o Explain the structure of the cell membrane

o Explain the function of the cell membrane.
o Explain how substances can enter or leave the cell, and why this is necessary for cell survival.

Aim: Short sentence describing what the purpose of the investigation is.

A good way to start the sentence is with the words to investigate

Hypothesis: A statement of what you expect to happen. Must specifically mention how the independent variable will
affect the dependent variable.

For example As the (insert independent variable here) increases/decreases the (insert dependent variable)
increases/decreases.

Variables: List the different variable in the experiment.

Independent
Dependent
Controlled

Materials

This is a list of all the important equipment and chemicals that you used in the experiment (In dot points).

Method - This is a detailed list of what you did in the experiment. You must include what quantities were used and the
exact order in which the experiment was performed (Step by Step method).

Results - Tables and Graph showing the results of the experiment.

Individual Group Data

Table 1: Write a detailed description of what the table below is showing.

Concetration of Salt Initial Mass of Potato Final Mass of Potato Change in Mass of Change in Mass of
Solution (%) Cube (g) Cube (g) Potato Cube (g) Potato Cube (%)
0
10
20

Insert the table with the class data, remember to include units and a table description (just like the table above)

Insert a graph (figure), remember to label the axes (units included), write a figure decription, and insert a
trendline.

Discussion
Part 1 (2-3 sentences) Describe your results, what are the trends or patterns that are shown in your data.

o E.g. What effect does the concentration of the salt solution have on the change in mass (%) of
the potato cubes.

Part 2 (4-10 sentences) Explain your results.

o E.g. Explain why the mass of the potato cube changed or did not change during the
experiment.
o *Hint* Do some research into osmosis to help with your explanation. Remember when using
information from other sources to always write in your own words and reference the source.
You can find some great information in your textbook (page 143-146) and also by following
this link.

Part 3 (4-5 sentences) Discuss the sources of error in the experimental design, and how they could have affected the
results.

Part 4 (4-5 sentences) Suggest improvements to the method to reduce these errors and explain how they would improve
the results.

Conclusion (2-3 sentences)

State the hypothesis and if is was/was not/was partially supported by the results.

State whether or not the results are reliable by comparing the errors identified in the method and the control measures
taken to ensure a fair test.

Based on this should the experiment be repeated?

References (use the Harvard referencing style)