Investigating Osmosis in Potato Cells

Measure mass changes in potato strips to determine water potential.

Procedure

Aim

To determine the water potential of potato cells by measuring the percentage change in mass of potato strips immersed in sucrose solutions of different concentrations.

Step-by-Step Procedure

  1. 1

    Cut potato strips of equal length and remove any skin.

  2. 2

    Dry the strips gently with paper towels and record their initial mass ($M_i$).

  3. 3

    Prepare sucrose solutions ranging from 0.0M to 1.0M.

  4. 4

    Immerse each potato strip into a separate beaker of solution for 30 minutes.

  5. 5

    After incubation, remove the strips, dry them again, and record the final mass ($M_f$).

  6. 6

    Calculate the percentage change in mass: $\frac{M_f - M_i}{M_i} \times 100\%$.

  7. 7

    Plot a graph of percentage change in mass against sucrose concentration.