DETERMINATION OF SOLUTE CONCENTRATION OF

POTATO AND APPLE TISSUE

Report Submitted By-Navdeep Kaur

Group Team
Results

The highest weight change percentage seen in the apple in Table 1 was 3.5% at 0.55 (M) sucrose

solution concentration. Figure 1 shows that as sucrose concentration increased in the solution,

the weight gain percentage decreased. Higher water potential in the sucrose solution helped the

apples to gain water. Figure 1 also shows that impossible to reach the isotonic point using

provided solute concentration. The weight change percentage in Figure 1 doesn’t seem becomes

zero, this is because of the water potential differential in apple solute concentration and sucrose

solution concentration. At zero weight change percentage apple tissue will be isotonic, which is

impossible as shown in Figure 1.

The weight of the potatoes was lost more in the higher sucrose concentration solution and as the

concentration of the sucrose solution decreased weight change percentage also decreased as

shown in Table 2. Potatoes had higher water potential as compared to the sucrose solution, that’s

why potatoes lost weight. Figure 2 shows that at 0.29 (M) of sucrose solution, there is no weight

change in potatoes, and potato tissue at this point was isotonic. The solute concentration of

potatoes and solute concentration of sucrose solution is the same at the isotonic state which is

0.29 (M).

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Discussion

Several factors affect the rate of osmosis such as the size of chunks of potatoes or apples and

temperature and pH, however in lab investigations done on the concentration of sugar solution

(Lenart and J.M., 1984). Apple and Potato pieces used in the experiment were the dependent

variable and solute concentration was the independent variable.

Apples gained weight because apple was a higher solute concentration as compared to sucrose

solute. Figure 1 shows that the sucrose solution concentration increased from 0.50 to 0.75 (M)

the weight change percentage decreased. The Scattered graph shows the correlation between the

sucrose solution concentration and the weight change percentage of the apples. The correlation is

negative as one variable increases; the other variable also decreased. Isotonic point is not

achieved in the experiment. The factor responsible for not achieving isotonic point is variables

such as temperature, pH, atmospheric pressure, or limitation of the experiment such as time.

Potatoes lost weight because the solute concentration of the potatoes was lower as compared to

the sucrose solution. Figure 2 shows that the sucrose solution concentration at 0.50 (M) reduced

the mass around by 10%. Potatoes were placed in sucrose solutions (0.3,0.35,0.40 and 0.45 M)

and lost mass due to osmosis, transferring water from the potatoes to the sucrose solution. The

Scattered graph shows the correlation between the sucrose solution concentration and the weight

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change percentage of the potatoes. The correlation is positive as one variable increased; the other

variable also increased.

References
Lenart, A., and J. M. Flink. "Osmotic Concentration of Potato." International Journal of Food
Science & Technology 19.1 (1984): 65-89. Web.

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Annexure
Table and Figures
Sucrose concentration (M) % Change in weight
0.55 3.50
0.6 3.13
0.65 2.46
0.7 2.27
Table 1 Influence of sucrose concentration (M) on Apple Mass

Figure 1 (Apple Data)

3
2.46
2.5 2.27

2
1.5
1
0.5
0
0.5 0.55 0.6 0.65 0.7 0.75
Sucrose Concenration (M)

Figure 1 (Apple Data ) Influence of sucrose concentration (M) on Apple Mass

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 Sucrose concentration (M) % Change in weight
0.3 -0.8522
0.35 -2.0057
0.4 -6.4139
0.45 -9.444
Table 2 Influence of sucrose concentration (M) on Potato Mass

Figure 2 (Potato Data)

-2.00
% Change of weight

-3.00
-4.00
-5.00
-6.00
-7.00
-8.00
-9.00
-10.00
Sucrose Concentration (M)

Figure 2 (Potato Data) Influence of sucrose concentration (M) on Potato Mass