Observing Osmosis in Gummy Bears Day 2

Guiding Question: Where is the concentration of H2O molecules the highest, distilled water,
tap water, salt water or gummy bears?
Materials per Table
2 small plastic cups w/ lid containing gummy bears from yesterday
ruler and balance w/ weigh boat
beaker of saturated salt solution
plastic spoon
If you have not already done so, make your two hypotheses in your composition book before
you make any observations.
Hypotheses for Day One
1. If the H2O concentration in tap water is (higher , lower) than the H2O concentration
in a gummy bear, then gummy bears placed in tap water will (increase, decrease,
remain the same) size.
2. If the H2O concentration in distilled water is (higher , lower) than the H2O
concentration in a gummy bear, then gummy bears placed in distilled water will
(increase, decrease, remain the same) size.
Procedure
1. Carefully pour the water out of your cups into the sink. Be gentle, as the gummy bears are
very fragile.
2. Scoop out the gummy bears using the plastic spoon and measure their mass, length, width,
and height using the same methods as yesterday. Be sure the weigh boats are dry before
measuring the mass of your gummy bear. Record your data in the data table you drew
yesterday in your composition book.
3. Gently place the gummy bears back in the appropriate cups, then fill the cups with salt
water.

Gummy Bear 1 Color:______

Calculations

Initial (day 1) After

distilled
water (day 2)

Gummy Bear 2 Color:_______

After salt
water (day 3)

Initial (day 1) After tap

water (day 2)

Volume
(cm3)
Percent
Change in
Mass

N/A

N/A

Percent
Change in
Volume

N/A

N/A

After salt
water (day 3)

Analysis
1. Using the hypotheses templates from yesterday as a guide, write a hypothesis about what
you think will happen to the gummy bears placed in the salt water. Remember to use an IfThen statement and include a prediction and a reason for that prediction.
2. Copy the calculations table into your composition book.
3. To calculate volume, assume the gummy bear is a rectangle. The formula is:
width x base x height = volume
4. To calculate the percent change in mass:
([final mass - initial mass]/initial mass) x 100 = % change in mass.
Our scales are accurate to 0.1 gram, therefore your calculations using mass should be rounded
to the nearest tenth or 0.1 gram.
5. To calculate the percent change in volume:
([final volume - initial volume]/initial volume) x 100 = % change in volume.
6. Answer the following questions in your composition book:
1. Were your hypotheses concerning the tap and distilled water correct? Why or why not?
2. Using evidence from your data, explain where the concentration of water is highest and
where it is lowest among the gummy bears, the tap water, and the distilled water.
3. Why did your gummy bears swell up? Use the vocabulary words we have discussed in
class.