PLANT STRIP TO DIFFERENT CONCENTRATION SOLUTION 2023

QUESTION 1

Concentration of an External Solution which is Isotonic to the Cell Sap of Plant

Aim To determine the concentration of an external solution which is isotonic to the plant cell sap.

Problem statement What is the concentration of an external solution which is isotonic to the cell sap of plant
cells?

Hypothesis: When the external solution is isotonic to the cell sap of plant cells, there is no net gain in size of
plant cells.

Variables

(a) Manipulated : Concentration of sucrose solution

(b) Responding : Length of potato strips

(c) Fixed : Temperature and time

Materials: Potato, distilled water, filter paper, sucrose solutions with concentrations of 0.1 M, 0.2 M, 0.3 M,
0.4 M, 0.5 M and 0.6 M

Apparatus

Petri dishes, knife, forceps, ruler and cork borer

Technique used: Measuring the lengths of potato strips with a ruler and recording the data.

Experiment planning: You are required to design an experiment to determine the concentration of an
external solution which is isotonic to the cell sap of plant. List the steps of your experiment.

1. Seven Petri dishes were labelled as A, B, C, D, E, F and G.

2. Petri dish A was filled with distilled water.
3. Each Petri dish was filled with different solutions according to the table below.

Petri dish B C D E F G

Sucrose solution (M) 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6

4. A cork borer was used to bore 21 potato cylindrical strips. Each strip was cut to a length of 5 cm.

5. Three strips were placed in each Petri dish and left for an hour.

6. After an hour, the strips were removed. The potato strips were wiped dry and the length of each strip was
measured. Measurements were recorded.

7. A graph of elongation of the potato strips against the concentrations of sucrose solution was plotted

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Result:

Initial length (cm) Final length (cm)

Concentration of sucrose Panjang asal (cm) Panjang akhir (cm)
solution (M) Kepekatan
Mean Change in length
larutan sukrosa (M) Mean (cm) Perubahan
1 2 3 1 2 3
Min Min panjang (cm)

0.0 5.0 5.0 5.1 5.03 5.85 5.85 5.95 5.88 +0.85

0.1 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.00 5 70 5.70 5.70 5.70 +0.70

0.2 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.00 5.50 5.40 5.60 5.50 +0.50

0.3 5.0 5.1 5.0 5.03 5.40 5.10 5.20 5.23 +0.20

0.4 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.00 5 10 5.10 5.10 5.10 +0.10

0.5 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.00 4.90 4.90 4.90 4.90 -0.10

0.6 5.0 5.0 5.1 5.03 4.70 4.70 4.70 4.70 -0.33

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Discussion

From the graph, state the concentration of the sucrose solution which is isotonic to the cell sap of potato
cells. Explain your answer.

0.45 M. There is no change in the length of the potato cores because the rate of movement of water
molecules in and out of the cell is the same in an isotonic solution.

Conclusion Is the hypothesis accepted or rejected? Give your comments.

The concentration of an external solution which is isotonic to the cell sap of potato cells is 0.45 M whereby
the length of the potato strip remains the same. The hypothesis is accepted.

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QUESTION 2

Aim: To determine concentration of external solution isotonic to cell sap of plant

Problem statement: Which concentration of external solution is isotonic to cell sap of plant?

Hypothesis: Isotonic concentration of external solution is the sucrose solution concentration that does not
change mass of plant tissue.

Variables:

Manipulated variable: Concentration of sucrose solution

Responding variable: Change in mass of potato

Constant variable: Initial length of potato

Materials and apparatus: Potato, cork borer, Petri dish, knife, ruler, tile, forceps, 50 ml beaker, measuring
cylinder, electronic balance, tissue paper, distilled water, 0.1 M sucrose solution, 0.2 M sucrose solution, 0.3
M sucrose solution, 0.4 M sucrose solution, 0.5 M sucrose solution and 0.6 M sucrose solution

Procedure:

1. Label 7 Petri dishes as A, Bf C, D, E, Fand G.

2. Fill each of the Petri dishes A, B, C, D, E, Fand G respectively with distilled water, 0.1 M sucrose
solution, 0.2 M sucrose solution, 0.3 M sucrose solution, 0.4 M sucrose solution, 0.5 M sucrose solution and
0.6 M sucrose solution.

3. Bore a big potato with a cork borer to produce 7 cylinders of potato with equal diameter.

4. Measure and cut each potato cylinder to a length of 5 cm.

5. Dap each piece of potato with tissue paper until it is dry.

6. Weigh and record the mass of each cylinder of potato.

7. Place one cylinder of potato into each of the 7 Petri dishes.

8. After 40 minutes, remove the potato cylinders and dap them dry. Weigh and record the mass of each
of the 7 potato cylinders (Figure 3.17).

9. Record the condition of each potato cylinder in the table provided.

10. Calculate the percentage of change in mass of each cylinder of potato using the following formula:

11. Plot a graph of change in mass of potato cylinder against concentration of sucrose solution.

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Result:

Mass of potato Percentage of

Difference in Condition
cylinder (g) difference in
Petri Dish mass of potato of potato
mass of potato
Initial Final cylinder (g) cylinder (%)
cylinder

A 1.4 1.79 + 0.39 + 27.9 Hard

(Distilled water)

B
1.4 1.70 + 0.30 + 21.4 Hard
(0.1 M sucrose solution)

C 1.4 1.61 + 0.21 + 15.0 Hard

(0.2 M sucrose solution)

D
1.4 1.52 + 0.12 + 8.6 Hard
(0.3 M sucrose solution)

E
1.4 1.43 + 0.03 + 2.1 Hard
(0.4 M sucrose solution)

F
1.4 1.29 -0.11 -7.9 Soft
(0.5 M sucrose solution)

G
1.4 1.18 -0.22 - 15.7 Soft
(0.6 M sucrose solution)

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Discussions:

1. Concentration of isotonic sucrose solution to cell sap of potato can be determined from the
intersection of a graph at the X-axis.

2. Cell sap of potato is hypertonic to 0.1 M, 0.2 M, 0.3 M and 0.4 M sucrose solutions. Therefore, water
diffuses into potato cylinders by osmosis and increases their masses and lengths. The cell becomes turgid.

3. Cell sap of potato is hypotonic to 0.5 M and 0.6 M sucrose solutions. Therefore, water diffuses out of
potato cylinders by osmosis and decreases their masses and lengths. The cell becomes flaccid.

Conclusion:

Hypothesis is accepted. Concentration of external solution isotonic to cell sap of potato is the sucrose
solution concentration that does not change the mass of potato cylinder. 0.42 M sucrose solution is isotonic
to cell sap of potato.

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QUESTION 3

Isotonic extracellular solution

Aim

To determine the concentration of extracellular solution which is isotonic to the cell sap of potato cells

Problem statement

What is the concentration of the extracellular solution which is isotonic to the cell sap of potato cells?

Hypothesis

The concentration of the extracellular solution which is isotonic to the cell sap of potato cells is the
concentration of the sucrose solution where there is no change in the mass of potato strip.

Variables

(a) Manipulated: Concentration of sucrose solution

(b) Responding : Percentage difference in the mass of potato strips
(c) Constant : Initial length of the potato strips, soaking time, temperature, type of potato

Materials

Potato, sucrose solutions of various concentrations (5%, 10%, 15% and 20% sucrose solution), distilled
water and tissue paper

Apparatus

Cork borer, razor blade, forceps, beakers, ruler, stopwatch electronic weighing scale and measuring cylinder

Procedure:

1. Five beakers are labelled P, Q, R, S and T.

2. Beakers P, Q, R, S and T are filled with distilled water, sucrose solutions with concentrations of 5%,
10%, 15% and 20%, respectively.

3. A cork borer is used to cut five strips of potato of the same diameter.

4. Each strip is measured and cut to a length of 5 cm.

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5. Each strip is wiped with tissue paper to remove any excess water.

6. Each strip of potato is weighed and the initial mass is recorded.

7. Each strip of potato is put into its respective beaker for 30 minutes.

8. After 30 minutes, the strip of potato is taken out from each beaker, wiped and weighed. The final
mass of each strip of potato is recorded.

9. The percentage difference in the mass of each strip of potato is calculated based on the following
formula:

10. A graph showing the percentage difference in the mass of the potato strip against the concentration
of sucrose solution is plotted.

11. The concentration of the external solution which is isotonic to the cell sap is determined from the
plotted graph.

12. The condition of the potato strip, whether firm or soft, is also recorded.

Result:

Mass of potato strip Percentage

Difference in Condition
(g) difference in
Beaker mass of potato of potato
mass of potato
Initial Final strip (g) strip
strip (%)

P (distilled water) 2.5 3.0 0.5 20 Firm

Q (5% sucrose
solution) 2.5 2.5 0 0 Firm

R (10% sucrose
solution) 2.5 2.2 - 0.3 -12 Soft

S (15% sucrose
solution) 2.5 2.0 - 0.5 -20 Soft

T (20% sucrose
2.5 1.8 - 0.7 -28 Soft
solution)

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Discussion

1. The concentration of the extracellular solution which is isotonic to the cell sap of potato cells is the
concentration of sucrose solution where there is no change in the mass of the potato strip.

2. At this concentration, water molecules move in and out of the cell at the same rate.

3. This is the concentration of the solution that is isotonic to the cell sap of potato cells.

4. Therefore, the concentration of the cell sap in the potato cells is equivalent to the concentration of the
isotonic solution which is 5% sucrose solution.

5. When the concentration of the sucrose solution is lower than 5% (which is hypotonic to the potato
cells), water molecules diffuse into the cells at a faster rate. There is a net movement of water molecules into
the cells. The potato cells gain water and the mass of the potato strip increases.

6. When the concentration of the sucrose solution is higher than 5% (which is hypertonic to the potato
cells), water molecules diffuse out of the cells by osmosis. There is a net movement of water molecules out
of the cells. The potato cells lose water and the mass of the potato strip decreases.

Conclusion

The hypothesis is accepted. The concentration of the extracellular solution which is isotonic to the cell sap
of potato cells is the concentration of the sucrose solution where there is no change in the mass of potato
strip. It is 5% sucrose solution.

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QUESTION 4

Determining the concentration of the extracellular solution which is isotonic to the cell sap of a plant cell

Problem statement

What is the concentration of the extracellular solution which is isotonic to the cell sap of potato cells?

Hypothesis

The concentration of the extracellular solution which is isotonic to the potato cell sap does not change the
mass of potato strips.

Variables

• Manipulated: Concentration of sucrose solution

• Responding: Percentage difference in the mass of potato strips

• Fixed: Soaking time, surrounding temperature and type of potato

Materials: Potato, distilled water, 0.1 M, 0.2 M, 0.3 M, 0.4 M, 0.5 M, 0.6 M sucrose solutions and filter
paper

Apparatus: Petri dishes, cork borer, knife, forceps, ruler, 50 m/ beakers, measuring cylinder, test-tube rack
and electronic weighing scale

Procedure

1 Seven beakers are prepared and labelled A, B, C, D, E,F and G.

2 Each beaker is filled with sucrose solution as listed in the table.

3 A medium-sized cork borer is pressed into a potato.

4 The potato tissue is removed from the cork borer.

5 It is then cut into a cylindrical strip 50 mm in length.

6 Steps 3 to 5 are repeated to prepare six more cylindrical strips of the same length.

7 The potato strips are wiped dry using filter paper. Each strip is weighed to obtain the initial mass.

8 The solutions in beakers A to G are poured into Petri dishes A to G respectively. Each potato strip is
soaked completely in the Petri dish.

9 After soaking for 30 minutes, each potato strip is removed from the respective Petri dish and wiped dry
with filter paper. Each strip is weighed again to obtain the final mass.

10 The results are recorded in a table. A graph of the percentage difference in mass against the concentration
of sucrose solution is plotted.

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Result:

Beaker Solution Mass of potato strips (g) Change in Percentage of mass

mass (g) change (%)
Initial mass Final mass

A Distilled water 1.30 1.70 0.40 0.40

x 100 = 30.8
1.3

B 0.1 M sucrose solution 1.30 1.65 0.35 0.35

x100 = 26.9
1.3

C 0.2 M sucrose solution 1.30 1.60 0.30 0.3

x 100 = 23.1
1.3

D 0.3 M sucrose solution 1.30 1.50 0.20 0.2

x 100 = 15.4
1.3

E 0.4 M sucrose solution 1.20 1.30 0.10 0.1

x 100 = 8.3
1.2

F 0.5 M sucrose solution 1.30 1.10 -0.20 0.2

− 1.3 x 100 = -15.4

G 0.6 M sucrose solution 1.40 1.10 -0.30 0.3

− 1.4X 100 = -21.4

Discussion

1 The potato strips in Petri dishes A to E are turgid while the potato strips in Petri dishes F and G are soft in
texture.

2 The point where the graph cuts the x-axis shows no change in the percentage difference of potato mass,
that is, sucrose solution at a concentration of 0.43 M is isotonic towards potato cell sap. Therefore, the
concentration of potato cell sap is 0.43 M.

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3 (a) The solutions in Petri dishes A to E are hypotonic or less concentrated than the potato cell sap. Water
enters the potato cells by osmosis. Therefore, the mass of the potato strips increases and they become turgid.

(b) The solutions in Petri dishes F and G are hypertonic or more concentrated than the potato cell sap. Water
leaves the cells by osmosis. The potato strips become soft and the mass of the potato strips decreases.

Conclusion

Based on the graph, the concentration of the extracellular solution which is isotonic to the potato cell sap
does not change the mass of potato strips.

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QUESTION 5

You are not allowed to work with apparatus in first fifteen minutes. This period is used to check the
apparatus list, read the question and plan the experiment which will be carried out. Mark U) in the box
provided to check the material and apparatus prepared and supplied.

Bil Ya (/) / Tidak (X)

Kuantiti
No. Bahan dan radas Materials and apparatus Quantity Yes(S)/No(X)

1 Piring Petri dengan penutup Petri dish with cover 2

2 Bikar 100 cm3 dengan larutan X 100 cm3 beaker 1

with solution X

3 Bikar 100 cm3 dengan larutan Y 100 cm3 beaker 1

with solution Y

4 Plastik kecil mengandungi dua keratan timun 1

Plastic bag containing two cucumber strips

5 Silinder penyukat 100 cm3 100 cm3 measuring 1

cylinder

6 Forseps Forceps 1

7 Kertas turas 2

Filter paper

You are required to conduct an experiment to study the different concentrations of solution on cucumber
strip. The cucumber strips provided are cut as the following measurement in Diagram 1.1.

Carry out the experiment by following the steps below:

Step:

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i. Arrange the apparatus by labelling two Petri dishes with X and Y as shown in Diagram 1.1.

ii. Fill each Petri dish with the following solution

Petri dish X: 50 ml solution X

Petri dish Y: 50 ml solution Y

iii. By using a pair of forceps, immerse one cucumber strip completely in each Petri dish.
iv. After soaking for 20 minutes, remove each cucumber strip from the respective Petri dish and wipe
dry with a filter paper. Observe the physical condition and the shape of the strips.
(a) Record data in table 1. [2m]

Keadaan fizikal keratan timun Physical condition of cucumber strip

Piring Petri Petri dish

Awal Initial Akhir Final

X

(b) Explain your observation for the cucumber strip which is taken out from Petri dish Y. [3m]

The strip shows an outward curve.

Solution Y is hypotonic to the cell sap of cucumber cells

Water molecules diffuse into the cells by osmosis

The epidermal tissues are waterproof thus restrict water from entering

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(c) State the variables for this experiment. [3m]
i. Manipulated variable:

Concentration of solution

ii. Responding variable:

Physical condition of cucumber strip

iii. Constant variable:

Volume of solution/ soaking period

(d) Give the operational definition for osmosis. [2m]

Osmosis is the movement of water molecules into the cell sap of cucumber cells which is shown by the
changes of physical condition and is affected by different concentrations

(e) Classify solution X and solution Y into their types of solution. [2m]

Types of solution Type of solution compared to the concentration of cell sap of cucumber
Hypertonic solution

Solution X
Hypotonic solution
Solution Y

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(f) Diagram 1.2 shows the ways to make kimchi, a traditional Korean food made from cabbage through a
fermentation process with spicy ingredients.

In the early stages, cabbage is soaked in a concentrated salt solution before being added with spicy
ingredients. Explain why the action is able to preserve the cabbage for a long period of time. [3m]

Water diffuses out from the cabbage cell

by osmosis

Bacteria will die/ bacteria become dehydrated// inhibit

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