Osmosis in potatoes
Potato tissue is immersed in solutions of different concentrations, and osmosis makes the same tissue gain or lose water depending on what surrounds it.
The science behind this experiment
Osmosis can also be observed in potatoes, which behave differently when immersed in solutions of different concentrations.
Equipment used
- Test tubes — PLA-007
- Test tube rack — PLA-012
- Cork borer — PLA-023
- Rubber stopper — CHE-024
- Filter paper — PLA-027
- Electronic balance — CHE-015
- Potato
Chemicals and reagents
- Distilled water
- Sucrose solution 2 M
Questions for students
- Calculate the mass variation for each piece.
- Describe the consistency of the three cylinders, giving an explanation for the loss or increase of weight.
What to expect
The potato immersed in sugar solution loses weight whilst the potato immersed in pure water increases its weight. The potato in air shows no or only a weak loss of weight. In pure water the potato barrel swells, because water enters its cells by osmosis. The barrel in sucrose becomes flaccid because water leaves the potato cells by osmosis. In air the potato tends to lose water due to evaporation, so the phenomenon can be less evident.
Run this experiment in your classroom
This experiment is part of ATP Volta — a self-contained mobile science lab that turns an ordinary classroom into a working STEM laboratory, with over 200 experiments in physics, chemistry, biology, robotics and engineering. Gali, the AI tutor built into ATP Connect, guides students through each step and answers their questions at the bench.
See the ATP Volta mobile science labTalk to our team