Conor Wight

Mrs. Lyon
AP Biology
11/2/2015
Introduction
For homeostasis to be maintained, a cell must have the ability to
move essential materials through its membrane(s) and, once inside,
move these materials throughout the cytoplasm. This process is
regulated as a result of the membranes being selectively permeable,
meaning only certain materials can cross the membrane with very
specific modes of transport. For example, the characteristics of the
phospholipid bilayer in the plasma membrane of a cell limit the
movement of water across the membrane.
Water can however, enter the cell freely in certain instances.
Water is able to pass into the cell through aquaporins (specialized
protein channels) or through osmosis (the diffusion of water). These
are essential processes as a result of the cellular environment being
aqueous. Ions, on the other hand, move through protein channels.
Large molecules move in and out of the cell with the assistance of
transport proteins.
Diffusion is process in which solutes move from an areas of high
concentration to an area of low concentration. Diffusion does not
require energy, as it goes down a solutes concentration gradient. Going
against said gradient, in which a solute moves from low concentration
to high concentration, requires energy in the form of ATP and protein
pumps.
The movement of water across the cell membrane does not
require energy, as it moves through osmosis. Water moves from areas
of high water concentration to low solute concentration, and vice
versa. In cells with cell walls, osmosis is effected by an addition outside
factor; turgor pressure, which is the cell walls resistance to the
movement of water.
Solutions separated by selectively permeable membranes are
described as either hypertonic, hypotonic, or isotonic. A hypertonic
solution has a high solute concentration and greater water potential in
comparison to other solutions. In this type of solution, water will move
out of the cell through the membrane. Hypotonic solutions are more or
less the opposite of this; these solutions have a low solute
concentration and a high water potential. Water will react to this
solution by moving down its concentration gradient into the other
solution. Isotonic solutions have equal water potential, allowing water
to stay in place.

Problem(s)
Procedure 1 problem
How does the relationship between surface area and volume
effect the rate of diffusion for a cell?
Procedure 2 problem
How does the concentration of a solute effect osmosis?
Procedure 3 problem
How does the concentration of a solute in plants effect osmosis
into and out of the plant?
Hypothesis(es)
Procedure 1 Hypothesis
If a cell possesses a greater surface area to volume ratio, it will
have a more efficient rate of diffusion.
Procedure 2 Hypothesis
If 6 bags containing sucrose solutions of varying molarities are
placed into a cup of distilled water, then the bag with the
greatest amount of molarity will experience the greatest percent
change in mass.
Procedure 3 Hypothesis
If apples are submersed into 6 different sucrose solutions each
containing a different level of molarity, than the solution with the
greatest molarity (in this instance 1.0M) will cause the greatest
change in mass in the apples submersed in the solution.
Materials List(s)
Procedure 1 Materials List

A 1cm3 cube
A 2 cm3 cube
A 3 cm3 cube
A 500ml Beaker
Vinegar
Tongs

Procedure 2 Materials List

6 20cm strips of dialysis tubing

Water
Twisty ties
Test tube
6 sucrose solutions of varying molarity
1. 0.0 M sucrose distilled water
2. 0.2 M sucrose
3. 0.4 M sucrose
4. 0.6 M sucrose
5. 0.8 M sucrose
6. 1.0 M sucrose
Weighing boat
Mass scale
Timer

Procedure 3 Materials List

6 plastic cups (capable of containing 100ml of liquid)
Cork borer
Scalpel
Weighing Boat
Mass scale
Plastic wrap
Procedure(s)
Procedure 1 Procedure
1. Obtain 3 cubes of differing size
1 cm3
2 cm3
3 cm3
2. Calculate the surface area for each of the cells (cubes) and
record in a data table
3. Calculate the volume for each of the cells (cubes) and record in a
date table
4. Fill a beaker with 200mL of vinegar
5. Place all three cells (cubes) into the beaker containing vinegar
6. Record the time it takes for each cell (cube) to lose its color
entirely
Procedure 2 Procedure
1. Obtain six 20cm strips of pre-soaked dialysis tubing
2. For each strip, tie off one end with twisty ties, forming six bags
3. Obtain six sucrose solutions with differing levels of molarity
o 0.0 M sucrose distilled water
o 0.2 M sucrose

o
o
o
o

0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0

M
M
M
M

sucrose
sucrose
sucrose
sucrose

4. Pour 20 mL of each of these solutions into its own dialysis tubing

bag
5. Remove excess air from each bag
6. Tie off the open end of each bag with twisty ties
7. Remove excess sucrose from the string and outside surface by
rinsing the bag
8. Blot the outside of each bag carefully and record the initial mass
of each bag
9. Place each bag in one of three plastic cups
10.
Fill each cup with 200 mL of distilled water.
11.
Leave bags in each cup for 20 minutes, then remove
12.
Carefully blot each bag to remove excess liquid
13.
Determine and record the mass for each solution
14.
Record data of percent change in mass
Procedure 3 Procedure
1. Obtain 100 mL of each of the following sucrose solutions
o 0.0 M sucrose distilled water
o 0.2 M sucrose
o 0.4 M sucrose
o 0.6 M sucrose
o 0.8 M sucrose
o 1.0 M sucrose
2. Pour each solution into a separate plastic cup
3. Use a cork borer to cut 24 apple cylinders
o Cut each cylinder into 2cm segments
o Remove any skin from the cylinders
4. Determine the mass of 4 of the cylinders together, record results
5. Put each group of four cylinders into a sucrose solution
6. Cover the cups with plastic wrap
7. Let stand overnight
8. The following day, record temperature of the sucrose solutions
9. Remove the cores from one of the beakers and blot them gently
o Only remove water from outside of cylinders
10.
Record all data of percent change in mass for each apple
variety
Results
Procedure 1 Results

Recorded Data from each Cube

Length of
Surface
Volume
Cube side Area (cm2) (cm3)
1 cm
2 cm
3 cm

6cm2
24cm2
54cm2

1cm3
8cm3
9cm3

Surface
Area:
Volume
Ratio
6:1
3:1
2:1

Time Until Complete

Diffusion
(hours:minutes:seco
nds)
0:21:50
0:51:50
1:31:50

Procedure 2 results
Recorded Data from the dialysis tubing experiment
Contents of
Initial Mass
Final Mass
Mass
beaker
Difference
0.0M
9.8g
9.75g
-0.5g
sucrose
(distilled
water)
0.2M
10.1 g
10.55g
.45g
sucrose
0.4M
10.7g
11.25g
.55g
sucrose
0.6M
10.7g
11.45g
.75g
sucrose
0.8M
10.6g
12.1g
1.5g
sucrose
0.10M
11.0g
12.76g
1.76g
sucrose

%Change in
Mass
-5.10 %

4.46%
5.14%
7%
14.15%
16%

Mass Difference = Final Mass Initial Mass

0.0M sucrose Mass Difference = 9.75g 9.8g = -0.5g
Percent Change in Mass = ((Final Mass)-(Initial Mass))/Initial Mass X
100
0.0M sucrose %Change in mass = ((9.75g)-(9.8g))/9.8g = -5.10 %

Percent Change in Mass Class Data

Concentration

Group 1

Group 2

Group 3

Group 4

Group 5

Group 6

0.0 M

0.94 %

-0.51 %

0.9 %

0.06 %

2.91 %

-31.72

0.2 M

10.66 %

4.46 %

3.2 %

1.6 %

14.23 %

-18.99

0.4 M

14.44 %

5.14 %

9.5 %

5.43 %

11.12 %

2.64

.6 M

18.43 %

7.00 %

10.1 %

5.97 %

-2.48 %

5.4

.8 M

17.94 %

14.15 %

12.0 %

3.1 %

22.12 %

-1.26

1.0 M

29.04 %%

16.0 %

20.1 %

7.93 %

-0.83 %

-0.23

Procedure 3 Results
Contents of
beaker
0.0M
sucrose
(distilled
water)
0.2M
sucrose
0.4M
sucrose
0.6M
sucrose
0.8M
sucrose
0.10M
sucrose

Temperature
(C)
24

Initial Mass
(grams)
4.97g

Final Mass
(grams)
5.96g

Mass
Difference
.99g

%Change in
Mass
19.9%

24

4.77g

6.07g

1.3g

27.25%

24

5.17g

6.49g

1.32g

25.5%

24

5.14g

6.3g

1.16g

22.6%

24

4.8g

4.96g

0.16g

3.33%

25

5.13g

4.8g

0.33g

-6.43%

Mass Difference = Final Mass Initial Mass

0.0M sucrose Mass Difference = 5.96g 4.97g = .99g
Percent Change in Mass = ((Final Mass)-(Initial Mass))/Initial Mass
0.0M sucrose %Change in Mass = (.99g)/4.97g = 19.9%

As shown by the point at which the regression line crosses the X-axis, the
water potential of the apple is approximately .99M. At this point, there will is
0% change in mass as the water potential of the apple is equal to the water
potential of a theoretical .99M sucrose solution.
Osmotic Potential Calculation
Yp= -iCRT, where i = the ionization constant of sucrose (1) C = osmolarity of
the apple, R = 0.0831 L * bars/mole *degree K (pressure constant), and T =
temperature in Kelvin
Yp= -1(.99M)(0.0831)(298K) = -24.52 bars
Error Analysis
Aside from minute human error which had to have occurred across the
board on all experiments, the only discernable error made appeared in the
data for procedure 3. The numbers that were recorded simply do not make
sense in that it shows an illogical relationship between the molarity of the
sucrose and the percent change in mass. It is unclear as to what specifically
caused this error to occur.
Discussion and Conclusion(s)

Procedure 1 Discussion and Conclusion

Hypothesis: If a cell possesses a greater surface area to volume ratio, it will
have a more efficient rate of diffusion.
The hypothesis was proven to be correct in the results of the
experiment. The results clearly show that cells with a greater surface area to
volume ratio are more efficient in diffusing particles across their respective
membranes. This is shown in the fact that cube 1 lost its coloration,
meaning its dye diffused out of the cube, in the quickest amount of time.
Cube 2 was the second quickest, leaving cube 3 to be the last to completely
diffuse all of its liquid out. Cube 1 had the greatest surface area to volume
ratio; cube 2 had the second greatest, and cube 3 had the smallest ratio.
A larger surface area allows more objects to be able to diffuse
into the cell, while a smaller volume keeps restrictions on how much can be
in or out of the cell. This is why it is better to have a larger surface area and
a smaller volume, resulting in a large surface area to volume ratio.
Procedure 2 Discussion and Conclusion
Hypothesis: If 6 bags containing sucrose solutions of varying molarities are
placed into a cup of distilled water, then the bag with the greatest amount
of molarity will experience the greatest percent change in mass.
The hypothesis was proven to be correct in the results of the
experiment. Group 2s individual data set, the group of which this author
was a part of, clearly shows that bag containing 1.0M of sucrose solution
experienced the greatest percent change in mass. The bag containing
distilled water, however, experienced a minimal change in mass, which was
negative. This is due to all of the bags other than the distilled water bag
containing solutions that were hypotonic in regards to the distilled water on
the outside of the bags. Following the definition of a hypotonic solution, the
concentration of the sucrose was greater inside the bags than it was
outside, causing water to move down its concentration gradient and into the
bags, thus increasing the overall mass of each bag. This did not occur in the
bag containing distilled water or 0.0M of sucrose because, in theory, it
should have been isotonic to the water outside the bag, meaning each had
equal water potential causing both bodies of water to remain in place.
However, the bag lost mass; this can be attributed to the possibility that the
distilled water poured around the bag actually contained traces of some
solute, causing it to be hypotonic to the bag. This is shown more clearly in
percent change in mass than it is in simply the change in mass. This is due
to the fact that the initial mass of each solution was not equal, meaning the
results would be inaccurate to simply compare the change in mass. Percent

change in mass allows for an accurate comparison to be made between the

increases and decreases in mass each solution experiences.
Based on these observations, it is clear that the direction of osmosis
depends on the solute concentration in the solution around a cell. If it is
hypotonic, water from inside the cell will move out of the cell. If it is
hypertonic, water from outside the cell will move to the inside. If it is
isotonic, the net osmosis rate will equal zero.
This overall trend showing an increase in mass as the molarity of the
solution is increased is not consistent with all of the class data. This is likely
due to some error on the part of groups 5 and 6 as these two columns in
data exhibit the greatest deviation away from the other four groups.
Procedure 3 Discussion and Conclusion
Hypothesis; If apples are submersed into 6 different sucrose solutions
each containing a different level of molarity, than the solution whos
molarity is closest to the concentration of sucrose in the apple itself
should cause the least percent change in mass.
The hypothesis for this part of the experiment is true based on the
data. According to the regression line, the water potential of the apple
is at 0.99M, and the molarity of the sucrose solutions that cause the
least percent change in mass are 0.8M and 1.0M. These two levels of
molarity are on either side of the approximate water potential of the
apple. It is logical for the percent change in mass to decrease as the
molarity of the apple becomes closer to the molarity level of the
solution it is submerged in as it allows the two solutions, both in and
outside the apple, to become isotonic to each other.
The data for this part of the experiment clearly exhibits errors in the
execution of the experiment itself. This is due to the fact that the data
shows a fluctuation in the percent change in mass as the molarity of
the sucrose solutions increase, which should not occur. Instead, a
relatively linear trend should be shown as a uniform relationship exists
between the molarity of a solution and the percent change in mass of
the apples. This relationship is better shown in the regression line of
the graph, as it defines what the data table should have shown. The
percent change in mass should have been the lowest with the sucrose
solution whose molarity is most similar to the molarity of sucrose found
in the apple cylinders. While this is true when looking at the result of
submersing the apply cylinders in 1.0M sucrose solution given a
molarity of .99M in the apples, the rest of the graph does not truly
make sense. It is not logical for the percent change in mass to be at its
highest point for the middle molarity values and lower and 0.0M. In

spite of this, the regression line cannot fully be relied upon due to the
inaccuracy of the data to begin with.