Biology Lab Report

 Objective: investigating the effect of alcohol concentration on membrane

permeability.

 Dependant Variable: absorbance reading

 Independent Variables: different concentrations of ethanol used.

 Apparatus used: beetroot, cork borer, ruler, forceps, knife, ruler, white tile,
different alcohol concentrations (10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%) boiling tube and
racks, colorimeter, cuvettes, stopwatch, measuring cylinder, pipette and distilled
water.

 Chemicals used: DCPIP solution, 3 samples of different vitamin C fruit juice

and distilled water.
  Procedure:
1- use a cork borer to cut cylinders of fresh beetroot tissue. Place on a white tile
and cut 1cm length pieces.
2- Place all the pieces in a small beaker and wash under a running tap for at
least 5 minutes to remove any excess juice.
3- Five beetroot pieces are then placed in a boiling tube containing 5cm3 of 10%,
20%, 30%, 40%, 50% ethanol and left for 30 mins at 20°C.
4- After 30 mins, the beetroot pieces are removed, the ethanol had become red
and the discs are slightly pink, the ethanol was stirred to disperse the dye.
5- Calibrate the colorimeter with a cuvette containing 2cm3 of distilled water.
6- Pipette 2cm3 of the dye into another cuvette and record the absorbance
reading.

Ethanol concentration in % % of light transmission

Ethanol (10%,5cm3) 0.02
Ethanol (20%,5cm3) 0.07
Ethanol (30%,5cm3) 0.21
Ethanol (40%,5cm3) 0.39
Ethanol (50%,5cm3) 0.38

 Limitations:

1. Improper drying
2. Floating beetroot pieces

 Conclusion: as concentration of alcohol increases the absorbance reading

increases.

Done by: Fatima Mahmoud, 11-A