Zoology Laboratory

“Understanding the Concepts of Egg

Group Leader:

Aldrich D. Alegado

Group Members:

Roque M. Arevalo

Jay Cris I. Rogante

Christine Israel Abraham

Mc Harold Pena

Laboratory Professors
Introduction

Osmosis is a process in which water or any other fluid moves across a semi-permeable
membrane from a region of low dissolved particle concentration to a region of high dissolved
particle concentration. Dissolved particles can move across a semi-permeable membrane from a
high-concentration area to a low-concentration area due to a difference in concentration gradient.
In this experiment, we'll look at a demineralized egg to see how water moves across a membrane.
When eggs are submerged in vinegar for 2-4 days, the shells dissolve, leaving a fragile, thin,
semi-permeable covering similar to that of a human body cell (Magloire 227).

In general, there are three types of concentrated solutions. A hypertonic solution is one in
which the concentration of liquefied particles is higher than that of human cells, causing water to
flow out of the body cell. Because the solution of liquefied particles is less concentrated than that
of body cells, water shifts into body cells in a hypotonic solution. Finally, we have an isotonic
solution in which the concentration of body cells is equal to the concentration of liquefied
particles in a solution, resulting in no water flow across the membrane (Magloire 228).
Objectives
1. What does vinegar do to an egg osmosis?
2. To know the difference of initial and final appearance of a shell-less egg that submerged
in a hypotonic and hypertonic solutions.

Hypothesis
If I put the egg in hypertonic solution, it will decrease in length and weight. On the other hand, if
I put the egg in hypotonic solution, it will swell and expand.

Methods
Materials used:

1. 2 eggs
2. 1 pack vinegar
3. Clean water
4. Salt
5. Plastic container
6. 2 recycled plastic container
7. Tape measure
Steps:

Before we performed the main experiment, the eggs to be used must be turned into “naked”.
Follow the following steps to do the task:

1. In a clean bowl, place 2 eggs with a concentrated white vinegar for 1-3 days until the
outer shell of the egg is completely dissolve.

2. When you see that the outer shell of the eggs is dissolved, remove the naked eggs from
the bowl and proceed to the next experiment.

After the outer shell of the eggs is dissolved. We proceed to main experiment the Egg Osmosis.

1. We prepare 2 containers for the experiment. And label them with Treatment A (water only) and
Treatment B (concentrated salt solution).
2. Using measuring cup, pour equal amount of clean water in the containers. In the Treatment B,
using a measuring spoon (tbsp.), dissolve a considerable amount of salt until it becomes
supersaturated.
3. You can achieve the supersaturated solution with the following reference: gradually add amount
of salt in the water and dissolve. If all the salt being poured are completely dissolved, continue to
add amount of salt until you reach the point wherein presence of salt particles is visible and
cannot completely dissolved even after a thorough stirring.
4. In the time we reached that point, we add 1 more tablespoon of salt and stir to become
supersaturated. We also record the amount of salt being dissolved.
5. Using the tape measure, get the circumference in centimeter (0.01 cm sensitivity) of each egg.
Record all your data gathered.
6. We place the eggs, one each container, cover them loosely and let them soak for 24 hours. After
that we our data gathered in the table below (Table 1):
7. During the soaking, we monitor the changes in size of the eggs. We do this by scheduling certain
time intervals. We choose a time interval time of 24 hours. We record the data in table form
below (Table 2):
8. At the end of the time period, we measure the final circumference of the two eggs. You may
describe how does the water move across the membrane. Record your data in the Table 3.
Results and Discussions
Table 1.

Amount of salt
Amount of water Initial circum-
Treatments dissolved (in
(cup) ference (cm)
tbsp.)
A 1 0 18.1
(water only)
B 1 10 tbsp. 17.9
(Concentrated Salt
solution)

Table 1 shows how the treatments of the eggs in treatment A we used 1 cup of water and the initial length
of the egg was 18.1 centimeters. In treatment B we also used 1 cup of water and dissolved 10 tbsp. of salt
in it and the initial length of egg was 17.9 centimeters.

Eggs initial Eggs length Eggs length Eggs length Eggs length
length circumference circumference circumference circumference
Treatments
circumference (cm) after 6 (cm) after 12 (cm) after 18 (cm) after 24
(cm) hours hours hours hours
A
18 18.3 18.3 18.4 18.5
(Water only)
B
(Concentrated 17.9 17.3 16.8 16.4 16
Salt solution)
Table 2.

In table 2. Its shows the interval time of the treatments on the eggs. Which is 24 hour and we recorded a
data of continuous changes of length of the eggs in every 6 hours.
Table 3.

Treatments Initial Final Difference Observation

18 18.5 0.5 cm. 102.77 % The egg is transparent with some yellow
A showings, no smell, the egg is swollen and
(water only) shows signs of
disintegration. Texture is squishy and wet.
B 17.9 16 -1.9 cm. 89.88%
The egg is white in color, the shell is thin and
(Concentrated
feels squishy or spongy.
Salt solution)

In table 3. It shows the differences and changes of the length of the egg and our observation after
executing the experiment. Where in treatment A or the hypotonic solution. The difference of the final and
initial data was 0.5 centimeters and it changed to 102.77% from it’s initial form. This is a clear indication
that through osmosis water molecules moved from highly concentrated area into the egg which was less
concentrated in terms of water molecules. Unlike the treatment A, Treatment B is we discovered that
hypertonic solution is less concentrated with water molecules and therefore through osmosis water
molecules moved across the membrane from the egg into hypertonic solution thereby leading to decrease
in weight and size of the egg which is obvious from the table. Which is the difference of the final and
initial data is. -1.9 centimeters and the change is 89.88%.

Conclusion
In conclusion the distilled water and vinegar were hypotonic to the solution in the egg, water
diffused into the cell, the egg's mass increased. Because the egg shell is made of calcium
carbonate and vinegar contains acetic acid, the egg shell dissolved. Water molecules shifted from
a high-gradient area to a low-gradient area. When an egg was placed in a hypertonic solution, for
example, water moved out of the egg, reducing its length. In the case of distilled water, the
opposite is true. Finally, the objective of the experiment was met since the process of osmosis
was examined.