Some students investigated osmosis in raw potato sticks. The students measured the mass of three potato sticks using an electronic balance. The students left each potato stick in one of the three different liquids for 5 hours:
i. distilled water.
ii. dilute sodium chloride solution.
iii. concentrated sodium chloride solution.
After 5 hours they measured the mass again and calculated the change in mass. 1. Predict which of the liquids would cause the largest decrease in mass of a potato stick.
2. After the experiment, the students noticed that the potato stick with the lowest mass was soft and floppy. Explain why the potato stick had become soft and floppy.
3. The students followed the same experimental procedure with boiled potato sticks and found no overall change in mass in any of the solutions. Suggest why the mass of the boiled potato sticks remained the same.
Answers
Answer:
The correct answer for the question, " Suggest why the mass of the boiled potato sticks remained the same", is as mentioned below:-
Explanation:
The reasons are that the mass of the boiled potato sticks remain same because
Reason #1: The concentration of sea water increases and simultaneously the removal of water decreases ;
Reason #2: as concentration of sea water increases the water potential of the gradient decreases ;
therefore less water enters at higher concentrations of sea water ;
less excess water ;
Answer:
The salt solution will actually cause much decrease in the overall mass of the potato stick and the dilute sodium chloride will have no negative effect on the boiled stick as that will not affect the already boiled mass of the potato. The mass remains the same as the boiling already gives a reference to the osmosis of water going into the pores of the potato.