LAB #: 4

DATE: ____________________________________________

TOPIC: Osmosis

AIM: To observe the effect of osmosis on plant cells in different solution concentrations

SKILL: Analysis & Interpretation/ Observation, Recording and Reporting

MATERIALS/APPARATUS:

1. 15g Salt 7. Beakers

2. Water 8. Ruler
3. Knife 9. Scale / balance
4. Irish Potato 10. Tissue
5. Weighing boats 11. Stop watch
6. Spatula 12. Tweezers

PROCEDURES:

1. Label three clean 250ml beakers as follows:

 A- Distilled water
 B- Salt water
 C- Control Apparatus
2. Prepare two different solutions:
a. Measure 200ml of distilled water and place in beaker labelled A.
b. Measure 200 ml of distilled water and place in beaker labelled as B. Then add 15g of
table salt. Stir thoroughly.
3. Obtain two large potatoes.
4. With a cork borer, push it into the potato and extract three potato strips. Remove the strips from
the borer and place them on a piece of brown paper. Measure and cut each strip to 5cm in length.
5. Label each potato strip as A, B, and C.
6. Rub the potato strips between fingers to assess the texture. Record initial texture.
7. Place each potato strip in a separate weighing boat. Weigh the mass of each potato strip using an
electronic scale. Record the initial mass of each potato strip respectively. Make sure to clear off
the weight of the weighing boat before weighing the mass of the potato strips.

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 8. Place potato strips A into beaker labelled “A- Distilled water. Make sure to completely immerse the
potato in the solution.
9. Place potato strip B into beaker labelled “B- Salt water”. Make sure to completely immerse the potato
in the solution.
10. Place potato strip C into beaker labelled “C- Control Apparatus”. Leave beaker and potato strip
exposed.
11. After 24 hours, measure the mass for each strip; record as final mass. Use tissue paper to dry strips
before placing strips on the scale.
12. Rub the potato strips between fingers again to assess the final texture of each potato strip.
13. Construct a table and record initial/ final texture and initial/ final mass. Calculate the percentage
change in mass of each potato strip and record in the table.
14. Construct a bar graph showing the effect of osmosis on the mass of each potato strip. Bar graph
must include the initial and final mass measurements for each potato strip.

OBSERVATIONS/RESULTS:
TABLE:

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BAR GRAPH:

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ANALYSIS:

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LIMITATIONS/SOURCES OF ERRORS:

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CONCLUSION:

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REFLECTION:

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GRADING CRITERIA:

Max
ANALYSIS & INTERPRETATION - AI Criteria Score
Points

Background knowledge
 Defines osmosis 1
Relationship and patters:
 Identifies types of solutions in beakers as:
 Hypotonic solution 1
 Hypertonic solution 1
 States the difference in concentration of water molecules in potato strips and
solutions in:
 Beaker A 1
 Beaker B 1
 Accurately explains the effect of osmosis on potato strips in:
 Hypotonic solution 1
 Hypertonic solution 1
 Accurately explains change in mass of control potato 1
Relevant limitations/ sources of error clearly stated 1
Reflection
 Relevant reflection demonstrates linkage of osmosis to real life 1
FINAL GRADE 10

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 Max
OBSERVATION, RECORDING & REPORTING - ORR Criteria Score
points
Observation: Potato Strip
 Change in mass of each potato strips 1
 Change in texture of potato strips 1
Recording: Table of results / Bar graph
Table of Results:
 Title of table is logical and descriptive 1
 Title is placed above the table 1
 Appropriate column headings 1
 Correct units of measurement present in column headings 1
 Percentage change in mass correctly calculated 1
Bar Graph:
 Bar graph neatly drawn using pencil and ruler 1
 Scale for both axes correspond to values in the scale box/key/ legend. 1
 Scale used for bar graph maximizes the use of the graph paper. (bar graph 1
must occupy as much space on the graph paper)
 X and Y axes each are given an appropriate title. 1
 Bar graph title is logical and descriptive and placed above the bar graph 1
 Spacing between bars are consistent and appropriate 1
Reporting:
Description of observations is accurate and corresponds to data in table of results 1
Language and Expression:
 Few (1-2) or no grammatical/ spelling errors 1
TOTAL 15
FINAL GRADE 10

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