Question

The students left each potato stick in one of four different liquids for 5 hours:
• distilled water
• 0.1 mol per dm3 sodium chloride solution
• 0.5 mol per dm3 sodium chloride solution
• 1.0 mol per dm3 sodium chloride solution.
After 5 hours they measured the mass again and calculated the change in mass.
PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com(i) Predict which of the liquids would cause the largest decrease in mass of a potato stick.

Answer 1

1. 1.0 (mol dm–3 sodium chloride solution) ;

2.(to remove) excess / surface/AW, water/AW, on potato sticks ;

to measure the mass of the potato (stick) only ;

3.cells / potato sticks, have lost water (by osmosis) ;

from high water potential to low water potential/down water potential

gradient ;

(cells / tissue/ potato) were, plasmolysed/ flaccid ;

loss of turgor (pressure) ;

not enough pressure of water pushing on cell walls ;

4. protein denatured (when cooked) ;

cell membrane, damaged/destroyed (when cooked) ;

no osmosis will occur ;