Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
THROUGH OSMOSIS
A Scientific Paper
submitted to
December 2018
1
ABSTRACT
The direction of the movement of water depends on what type of solution does the cell
are in contact with. This type of solution may hypertonic, hypotonic, or isotonic. These different
types have different reaction to the cell. This type solution may cause the cell to swell, to burst,
to shrink, or no reaction at all. Hypotonic solution may cause the cell to swell. The swelling of
the cell is due to the movement of water molecule from the solution into the cell where there is
low concentration of water inside the cell. In hypertonic solution, the cell may shrink. This
shrinking effect is due to the movement of water from the inside environment of the cell into the
solution where there is low concentration of water compare to the inside environment of the cell.
In isotonic solution, there are no changes in the cell shape and there is no reaction at all. This
observation is due to equal water concentration between the solution and the cell. Those
observations mentioned above is due to osmosis where water tends to travel from higher
concentration into lower concentration. In this study, we used liquid substances that are
commonly used or intake by a typical student as being observed by the researcher. These
substances are the dissolved Paracetamol Biogesic tablet, Cobra energy drink, Gatorade sports
drink, calamansi juice, and Nescafe 3-in-1 coffee. Through this study, the researcher aimed to
determine what type of solution these liquid substances are and what are their effects in the cell
2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract........................................................................................................................................... 2
Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 4-6
Background of the study ..............................................................................................................4
Statement of the problem .............................................................................................................5
Objectives of the study ............................................................................................................. 5-6
Scope and Limitations .................................................................................................................6
Methodology ............................................................................................................................... 7-8
Materials .......................................................................................................................................7
Methods .................................................................................................................................... 7-8
Results and Discussion .............................................................................................................. 9-12
Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 13-14
References .....................................................................................................................................15
3
INTRODUCTION
Cell is the basic unit of life. All living things are made of cells. Some living things are
made of only one cell; however, most of the living things we are familiar with including plants,
animals, even humans are made of many cells. Prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells are separated
from the external environment by a cell membrane. The cell membrane that surrounds the
billions of tiny cells are selectively permeable membrane. The cell’s membrane is “selectively
permeable” since some things can pass through it easily, while other things will not be able to
pass through it very easily or at all. Understanding the structure and properties of cell membranes
is important to understand how cells function. Although the details of cell membrane
composition and structure vary according to its specific function, all of them are composed of
mainly lipids and proteins in a structure known as a lipid bilayer. Membranes are lipid-protein
assemblies in which the components are held together in a thin sheet by non-covalent bonds.
Lipid Molecules are insoluble in water but dissolve readily in organic solvents. It is the shape
and amphipathic nature of the lipid molecules that cause them to form bilayers spontaneously in
aqueous solutions. The lipid bilayer has been regarded as the universal basis for the cell
membrane structure. Its structure can be attributed to the special characteristics of the lipid
molecules. Lipid bilayer exhibits two important properties. First, the hydrophobic core is an
impermeable barrier that prevents the diffusion of water soluble solutes. Importantly, this simple
barrier function is modulated by the presence of membrane proteins that mediate the transport of
specific molecules across this otherwise impermeable bilayer. The second property of the bilayer
is its stability. The bilayer structure is maintained by hydro phobic and van der Waals
interactions between the lipid chains. Even though the exterior aqueous environment can vary
4
widely in ionic strength and pH, the bilayer has the strength to retain the characteristic
architecture.
Cells have different reaction on every type of solution they are in contact with. The cells
may shrink, may bloat, may burst, and there is no reaction at all. These types of solutions are
hypotonic in which the cell may bloat or burst, hypertonic in which the cell may shrink, and
isotonic in which there is no reaction at ell between the cell and the liquid substance. The
different solutions (liquid substances) used in the study are the substances that are commonly
used by the different students as being observed by the researchers. These liquid substances,
coffee, Paracetamol Biogesic, sport drinks, energy drinks and calamansi juice. The study will
determine on what will happen to our cells when they are in contact to the different liquid
When the cell is subjected to different types of solution, it may exhibit different reaction
or may not at all depending on the type of solution. When subjected to hypotonic solution in
which the osmotic pressure is lower than that of the cell. The solutes in a hypotonic solution are
also less (in concentration) than that of inside the cell. Thus, a hypotonic solution would rather
have more water which would cause the water to enter (diffuse) into the cell. This, in turn, would
cause the cell to swell. An isotonic solution is when two solutions, separated by a semipermeable
membrane, have equal concentrations of solutes and water. The cell will remain normal in
animal cell while flaccid in plants cell. A hypertonic solution is one where the concentration of
5
solutes is greater outside the cell than inside it. The cell will shrivelled in this solution due to the
loss of water.
This study will allow us to predict on what type of solutions that the substances tested in
the egg membrane. This study also aims to study the effect of acetic acid in vinegar on cell
investigation and experiment, and to have a hands-on experience working with the hydrophobic
and hydrophilic nature of the cell membrane and membrane proteins as channels. Since the egg
membrane is a good model of the human cells, we can also predict the effects of these substances
to our cells.
The study is performed by the researchers in the month of November 2018. There is no
common date in November 2018 where the researchers perform the experiments since the
researchers observed the liquid substance assigned by the group leader to them. The liquid
substances are bought only in Iligan City, Philippines. And the study is all about the effect of
dissolved Paracetamol Biogesic, 3-in-1 cofee, calamsi juice, gatorade sport drinks, and cobra
6
METHODOLOGY
Materials
The following are the materials used in the study of osmosis and diffusion of the liquid
substances.
5 raw eggs
Vinegar
5 container
Methods
Looking at the egg from the outside we see the shell, which is a hard, protective covering
made of calcium carbonate. The shell is porous. (There are about 7,000 pores in a chicken
eggshell.) This allows the transfer of gases through the shell. Carbon dioxide and moisture are
given off through the pores and are replaced by atmospheric gases, including oxygen.
7
The researcher upon conducting preliminary observation and measurement on the eggs
physical appearance submerged the eggs into 1-liter vinegar which consists of 96% water and
4% acetic acid. The acetic acid in the vinegar will react with the calcium carbonate in the
eggshells to make calcium acetate plus water and carbon dioxide bubbles which was
By gently rubbing the eggs surface by the hand or by running the egg under water, the remaining
bits of shell will be removed, leaving the cell membrane naked. Blot dry with a paper towel or by
a tissue. Immediately beneath the shell are two membranes, the outer and inner shell membranes.
These membranes protect the contents of the egg from bacteria and prevent moisture from
leaving the egg too quickly. The researcher then conducted the necessary parameters and
observation before proceeding to further steps. Each egg then was submerged into five different
solutions with its volume being monitored. After one day, the eggs are taken from the liquid and
are being measured using ruler or tape measure in order to get its circumference (length and
width)
8
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
The tables below are the data that are being gathered by the researchers in performing the
experiment in order to support the hypothesis formulated by the researchers. In table 1, there is a
comparison of the size of the egg before and after its soaking in the vinegar. There is the data on
how the vinegar increases the size of an egg and how the vinegar de-shelled the egg. In table 2, it
shows the data that being observed after the de-shelled egg are subjected to different liquid
substances. The data shows how these different substances change the size of the de-shelled egg.
Table 1. Measurement of the egg circumference before and after submerging in Vinegar
MEASUREMENT EGG EGG EGG EGG EGG EGG EGG EGG EGG EGG
A B C D E A B C D E
Length 164 165 166 170 165 190 180 192 184 180
Circumference
(mm)
Width 141 145 146 138 143 166 165 160 161 164
Circumference
(mm)
Based on the obtained results shown in table 1, the size of the eggs greatly increased in
circumference both in length and width. It can be deduced that the acetic acid content of the
vinegar greatly enhanced the penetration permeability of the membrane allowing ample amount
of water to diffuse inside the cells of the eggs making it increased in size evidently. The water
diffuses through the membrane via osmosis into the inside of the cell of the eggs. As shown in
the table above, there is an increase in circumference since the water from the vinegar is move
into the internal environment of the de-shelled egg due to osmotic pressure. There is low osmotic
pressure in vinegar which results to the movement of water molecule into the de-shelled egg.
9
Following the principle of osmosis, there is higher concentration of water in the vinegar than
inside the de-shell egg. Water molecules will travel from the higher concentration in vinegar to
Table 2. Data collected after submerging the de-shelled egg to different substances used in
the study
By comparing table 1 and table 2 in terms of circumference of the egg, the size of eggs
fluctuates depending on the type of solution that serves as its environment. The egg A after being
submerged in the dissolved biogesic tablet, the size increases from 190mmx166mm to
210mmx175mm. The water that dissolved the biogesic tablet are travelled into the inside
environment of egg A via osmosis which result to swelling of the egg. The egg A has lower
concentration of water molecules that is why water molecules enter the egg membrane thus,
increase in size. The osmotic pressure in the solution of the dissolved biogesic tablet is lower that
the osmotic pressure inside the egg membrane. In egg B, the size of the egg increases from
10
180mmx195mm to 193mmmx170mm. The swollen egg B is submerged in the 330 mL of Cobra
energy drink. Water molecules present in the Cobra energy drink tend to enter to the membrane
of the egg since the energy drink has higher concentration of water than in the de-shelled egg.
Following the principle of osmosis, the water in the energy drink will enter the egg’s membrane
which makes the egg B swell. There is no reaction between the de-shelled egg C and the
Gatorade sports drink. There are no changes that being observed in the egg. By principle of
osmosis, there is an equal concentration of water between the sports drink and the egg C. Under
observation, egg D swell after it is being submerged in the Calamansi juice. There is a change in
swelling effect of the interaction of the juice and the egg is due to the movement of water
molecules of the juice into the egg membrane. Water concentration of the egg is lower than in
the juice which results to the movement of water into the egg via osmosis. And lastly, the egg D
is also swell after being submerged to Nescafe 3-in-1 coffee. The water that dissolve the nescafe
3-in-1 instant coffee powder travel into the egg’s membrane which result to the swelling of the
egg. The size of the egg increased its size from 180mmx164mm to 188mmx168mm. The water
molecules tend to travel to the egg D since it has the lower concentration of water and have
The different substances used in the study makes the de-shelled egg to swell except to the
Gatorade Sports drinks where there is no reaction at all. The liquid substances except the sports
drink increases the size of the egg. The increase of size of the de-shelled egg is being observed
because there is movement of water from the liquid substances into the internal environment of
the egg. This movement of water is due to osmosis in which the water tends to travel from the
higher concentration of water to lower concentration. This movement of water also is due to the
11
osmotic pressure between the egg and the substances. The low osmotic pressure present in the
liquid substances makes the water molecules to enter to the egg’s membrane. This movement of
12
CONCLUSION
Therefore, based on the obtained results, it can be deduced that acetic acid content of the
vinegar have profound effect on the membrane of the cell. It enhances the cell permeability to
water molecules allowing it to enter the cell hence the cell increases in size. The movement of
water into and out of the cell which is known as osmosis equalizes the concentration of the
solute-solvent of the cell and its environment. These movement ceases once the concentration
gradient of the cell disappears though the water may still randomly moved but no longer
Water movement’s direction varies accordingly to the types of solution the cell
environment possesses. When the cell is in hypotonic solution where water concentration inside
the cell is lower compared to that of the surroundings, the water moves into the inside of the cell
from the environment making the cell swell just like what happen to the de-shelled egg that is
being submerged into dissolved biogesic, energy drink, calamansi juice, and coffee. When
net movement of water and a net concentration like the observation of the de-shelled egg
submerged into the sports drink. The cell will appear normal or flaccid for the plants cell. When
the cell is exposed to a hypertonic solution where the concentration of solute is higher in the
environment than that of the cell, the water from the cell will move out of the cell making the
In addition, when the cell is subjected to a hypotonic solution, it will gain or absorb more
water molecule to equalize the concentration in and out of the cell hence, volume of the solution
outside the cell will distinctively decrease. When subjected to a hypertonic solution, the cell
13
losses much water to equalize the concentration of the cell to its surrounding thus the cell shrink
in size while the environment gain much water increasing its volume. In an isotonic solution, no
change in concentration will further occur since the equilibrium has taken place.
As being observed from the study, we can conclude the type of solution of these liquid
substances to our cells. From table 2, we can conclude that dissolved biogesic tablet, cobra
energy drink, calamansi juice, and Nescafe 3-in-1 coffee are hypotonic to our cells. And
Gatorade sports drink are isotonic in our cells since there is no reaction and changes that are
being observed in the study thus the water concentration are equal between the two environment.
14
LITERATURE CITED
1. Olowa L. et.al (2016). Laboratory Manual in Bio 108.1: CELL BIOLOGY. MSU-
Iligan Institute of Technology. Iligan City, Philippines
2. Experiment with Naked eggs Activity. Retrieved from
https://www.exploratorium.edu/ retrieved on December 3, 2018
3. Lodish H. et.al (2003). Molecular Cell Biology. 5th edition. WH Freeman; New
York.
4. Movement of substances across cell membranes. Retrieved from
https://antranik.org/ retrived on December 8, 2018
5. Postlethwait J., Hopson J. (2012). The World of Biology. Philippine edition.
Cengage Learning Asia Pte Ltd. Singapore
6. Wong D. (2015). Transport of substance in and out of the cell. Retrieved from
http://www2.hkedcity.net/ retrieved on December 9, 2018
7. Egg osmosis. Retrieved from https://www.mrsec.psu.edu/ retrieved on December
10, 2018
8. How to make Naked egg. Retrieved from
https://www.imaginationstationtoledo.org/ retrieved on December 10, 2018
9. Alberts B. et.al (2002). Molecular Biology of the Cell. 4th edition. Garland
Science: New York.
10. Naked Eggs: Osmosis. Retrieved from https://www.scienceworld.ca/ retrieved on
December 10, 2018.
15