Osmosis in potatoes
To show osmosis in potatoes.
What students learn
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 — 1473.60
- Test tube rack — 1680.06
- Cork borer — 5453.82
- Rubber stopper — 5450.08
- Filter paper — 8349.20
- Electronic balance — 2219.30
- Potato
Chemicals and reagents
- Distilled water
- Sucrose solution 2 M
Safety notes
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
<p>The potato immersed in sugar solution loses weight whilst the potato immersed in pure water increases its weight.</p><p>The potato in air shows no or only a weak loss of weight.</p><p>In pure water the potato barrel swells, because water enters its cells by osmosis.</p><p>The barrel in sucrose becomes flaccid because water leaves the potato cells by osmosis.</p><p>In air the potato tends to lose water due to evaporation, so the phenomenon can be less evident.</p>
Disposal
Run this experiment in your classroom
This experiment is part of the ATP Mobile Lab — a self-contained laboratory that turns an ordinary classroom into a working science lab, 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 Mobile LabTalk to our team