LAB REPORT : OSMOSIS IN A POTATO

Parts of the report:

1. Define the problem
2. Scientific background
3. Hypothesis
4. Variables
5. Materials
6. Method
7. Collected data
8. Data analysis
9. Conclusions
10. Suggestions and improvements
11. Bibliography (APA citation)

Define the problem :

How is the weight of the potato is going to change with the different
concentrations of solute in a solution?, A representation of osmosis with a
potato.

Scientific Background :
What is osmosis; osmosis is the process where particles diffuse through a
semi-permeable membrane from a lower concentration to a higher
concentration of solute.
From : https://www.reference.com/science/osmosis-c8680f3f844126ad

Hypothesis:

I believe that the potato is going to decrease in size because of osmosis, a

process in which in this context; the water particles will theoretically diffuse
into the salty solution.

Variables :
In every experiment there are normally always three variables; dependent,
independent and controlled.
A dependent variable is what you measure in the experiment and what is
affected during the experiment. In this case the dependent variable is the
weight of the potatoes because it depends on the independent variable.
An independent variable is exactly what the word alone means; a variable
that isnt changed by other variables. In this case the independent variables
are the amount of water and the amount of salt
The last variable is the controlled variable which is not changed throughout
the experiment, in this case we have various control variables such as the
temperature of the water, the temperature of the room, the amount of time
in which the potato is in the water and the type of potato.

Materials:
To properly conduct the experiment you will need the following materials :

Filter paper
1 stirring rod
1 spatula
1 watch glass
1 pair of tweezers
1 graduated cylinder of 100ml
Water
Salt
A potato
Plastic cups
A scale

Method :
To do the experiment follow the following steps using the materials
mentioned above:

1. Make 3 salt solution; all with 100ml of water measured with the beaker.
Label the three different cups A,B and C
2. Put 1g of salt in A, 7g of salt in B, and 10g of salt in C. Measure the salt
with a watch glass and a scale.
3. Stir the different solutions with a stirring rod until the salt is completely
dissolved
4. Cut nine pieces of potato in to cubes of approximately of the same
size, weigh the potato pieces with a watch glass and a scale and
register their initial weight. ( Label the potato pieces
A1,A2,A3,B1,B2,B3,C1,C2, and C3
5. Introduce the potato pieces in their correspondent solution

a. Introduce pieces A1, A2 and A3 in solution A and write down the exact
time. In my case it was 10:33
b. Introduce pieces B1, B2 and B3 in solution B and write down the exact
time. In my case it was 10:34
c. Introduce pieces C1, C2 and C3 in solution C and write down the exact
time. In my case it was 10:35
 6. Let the potatoes sit in the solution for 20 min, after that amount of
time take them out with tweezers and dry them with filter paper, then weigh
them with a scale and watch glass and register their final weight.

Conclusion:
In my hypothesis I mentioned that the potato would decrease in size, and my
hypothesis as proven by this experiment, was right. When a potato is put in a
solution of water in salt for about 20 minutes it will decrease in size because
of a scientific process called osmosis. Some variables increased whilst other
decreased ( this is called inverse correlation)