Biology

Gummy Bear Experiment

Date: Feb 11, 2015
Name:
Preme, Ravisara Karnjanolarn
Nice, Sirirat Jittakajornkait
June, Thanatcha Jantanapongpun
Namfon, Sirimon Thepchanakul
Introduction:
Transportation through the Plasma membrane have two main ways which are
Passive transport and Active transport. However, in this experiment we will test
just about how Osmosis works which is one type of Passive Transport. Osmosis is a
movement of water down the concentration gradient (High to Low concentration) to
make the concentration equally. They have three states of tonicity which are
Isotonic, Hypotonic and Hypertonic solution. We use to state and compare the
concentration of a solute in the solution. Firstly, Isotonic is when the two solution
have the equal concentration. Secondly, Hypotonic has higher solute inside the cell,
making the cell swell because the water transfers into the cell. Thirdly, Hypertonic
is when the water leave the cell because concentration of solute outside the cell is
higher.
Our experiment used Gummy Bears as a cell to test the processes of
Osmosis by observing the movement of water in and out of the Gummy Bears. We
divided into two solution which are Distilled Water and Salt Water to compare the
outcomes between Hypotonic and Hypertonic Solution.
Purpose:
To find out how Osmosis works in term of Hypotonic and Hypertonic by using
the Gummy Bear soak in Distilled water and Salt water comparing.
Hypothesis:
If we put the bear in distilled water, the bear will swell.

If we put the bear in Salt water, the bear will shrink.

Materials:
-

2 Beakers
Electronic Balance
Ruler
Distilled water
Concentrated salt water
2 Gummy Bears, different color
Calculatorgroups bring their own calculator Weighing paper
Gloves, Lab Coat, Goggles

Procedures
Day 1:
1. Collect materials for your group
2. Use your ruler to find the height, length, and width of each gummy bear
3. Calculate the volume of your gummy bear (LxWxH)
4. Use the electronic balance to find the mass of your gummy bear.
Remember to lay down a piece of weighing paper and set to zero.
5. Record descriptive observations in your notebook about the gummy bears
prior to the experiment.
6. Fill your beaker half way with distilled water. Put one of your gummy
bears into the beaker. Set the beaker aside for one day.
7. Fill your 2nd beaker with concentrated salt solution half way. Put your 2nd
gummy bear into that beaker. Set beaker aside for one day.
A
Day 2:
1. Collect groups beakers with gummy bears.
2. Carefully remove the gummy bears from the beakers.
3. Repeat steps 2-5 from Day 1
4. Calculate the percent change in the size of each gummy bear.
-

Percent change in height

Percent change in width

A
A
A

Percent change in length

Percent change in volume
Percent change in mass

Analyzing Results
Data Table A for Gummy Bear Volume
Gummy Bear 1: Yellow

Gummy Bear 2: Orange

Initial: Before
Soaking

Final: After
soaking in salt
water

Initial: Before
Soaking

Final: After
soaking in
Distilled water

Length (cm.)

2 cm.

1.8 cm.

1.9 cm.

2 cm.

Width (cm.)

1.2 cm.

1 cm.

1.1 cm.

1 cm.

Height (cm.)

1 cm.

1 cm.

1 cm.

1.1 cm.

Volume (cm.3)

2.4 cm.3

1.8 cm.3

2.09 cm.3

2.2 cm.3

Data Table B: Gummy Bear Descriptions

Gummy Bear 1: Yellow

Gummy Bear 2: Orange

Before Soaking in Salt Water:

Soft, Color-Yellowish, can be seen by
naked eyes

Before soaking in Distilled Water:

Color-Orange, sticky, soft, can see
through

After Soaking in Salt Water:

Shrink, Color-Fade into White, Smaller

After soaking in Distilled Water:

Swell, Lighter, Larger, Its shape
doesnt look like Gummy bear anymore

Data Table C for Gummy Bear Mass

Gummy Bear 1: Yellow

Gummy Bear 2: Orange

Mass in Grams

Gummy Bear
Mass (g.)

Before
Soaking

After Soking
in Salt water

2.27 g.

Before
Soaking

2.24 g.

After Soking
in Distilled
water

2.30 g.

2.33 g.

Data Table D for Percent changes

Gummy Bear 1: Yellow

Gummy Bear 2: Orange

Percent Change in Height

0%

10%

Percent Change in Width

-16%

-9.09%

Percent Change in Length

-10%

5.26%

Percent Change in Volume

-25%

5.26%

-1.32%

1.30%

Percent Change in Mass

Before and After

After the Yellow Gummy Bear was soak in the Salt Water, the bear shrinked.

After the Orange Gummy Bear was soak in the Distilled Water, the bear swelled.
1. What happened to the gummy bear after being soaked in distilled water
over night? Why? Be descriptive and detailed in your answer. Use your knowledge
of membrane transport.
The gummy bear became larger because of the Hypotonic solution. The
water transforms from area of high concentration to low concentration. The
concentration of Gummy bear has higher concentration than solvent which is water.
So, the water moved into a Gummy bear by passing through the membrane which
makes its swell.
A
2. What happened to the gummy bear after being soaked in salt water over
night? Why? Be descriptive and detailed in your answer. Use your knowledge of
membrane transport.
The gummy bear became smaller because of the Hypertonic solution. It is
opposite with the Hypotonic solution. The concentration of solute inside the Gummy
Bear is lower than solute in the water, because the water contains salt. Therefore,
the water go out from the Gummy bear down the concentration gradient making
Gummy bear lost water and became shrink.
3. Define the terms diffusion, passive transport, active transport, and
osmosis. In each of your definitions, describe the role of a concentration gradient.

The diffusion is a net movement of molecules from the area of high

concentration to low concentration. Also, it is the movement down the
concentration gradient.
The Passive transport is a movement of the molecules down the
concentration gradient, which does not require any energy. Passive Transport
include Diffusion, Osmosis, and Facilitated Diffusion which need Channel and
Carrier Proteins.
The Active Transport is movement of the molecule against the concentration
gradient from region of Low concentration to High concentration. Thus, it requires
energy and Carrier Proteins. For the example, Sodium-Potassium Pump and Bulk
Transport are the type of Active Transport.
Osmosis is the special type of diffusion which is the movement of water
across the membrane from High Water concentration to Low Water concentration
to make concentration equally.

4. Biological membranes are said to be selectively permeable (or semipermeable). What does this term mean, and how does this affect the way that
molecules are able to move through cellular membranes?
Selectively permeable membrane means that some specific molecules can
pass through the phospholipid bilayer freely such as non-charged (oxygen, water),
small sudstances (alcohol), and have a specific shape. However, ions and large
molecules cant be passed through the membrane freely. They have to use special
way such as Facilitated Proteins which are Channel Proteins and Carrier Proteins,
and also Bulk Transport to export and export substances between the membrane.
5. Which type of molecule is more likely to quickly pass through a cellular
membrane via simple diffusion, polar or nonpolar? Why?
Non-polar molecules will definitely pass through the membrane quicker due
to the hydrophobic area of the fatty acids tails of phospholipids bilayer. For the
example, lipids soluble molecule such as Fatty-acids, Steroids, Oxygen, and Water.
A
Conclusion:

The results of this experiment showed us about the term of Osmosis and
how the Osmosis works which lead to the effects on the Gummy Bear as an
example. We used different color which are Yellow and Orange to compare and
contrast. Yellow Gummy Bear is the result of the Hypertonic Solution which is
concentrated due to the water movement out from the Gummy Bear. On the other
hand, orange Gummy Bear is the result of the Hypotonic Solution which is diluted
because of the solution which water move inside the Gummy Bear. The movement
of water moving in and out is passing down the concentration gradient. These
results are related to the data we had collected during the experiment. To
compare the mass of the Gummy Bear, the yellow one is reduced and the orange
one is raised because of the Hypertonic brings the water out and the Hypotonic
allows the water in owning to the rule of concentration to move from the High
Water concentration to Low Water concentration. Thus, the Yellow Gummy Bear
has a higher water concentration than Salt Water and Orange Gummy Bear has a
lower water concentration than Distilled Water.