FACULTY OF SUSTAINAIBLE AGRICULTURE

PLANT PHSYSIOLOGY

(RH 10203)

PRACTICAL 1: OSMOSIS

NAME MOHAMMAD IRFAN BIN LAJI

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 TITLE: OSMOSIS

1.0 OBJECTIVE

 To understand the osmosis process in plant tissues.

2.0 INTRODUCTION

In this experiment, pieces of carrot placed into liquids of different concentrations, to show how
water passes by osmosis into or out of plant tissue. The uptake or loss of water is monitored by
measuring change in mass using a top balance.

3.0 APPARATUS AND REAGENTS

Petri dish, carrot discs (5mm thick), balance, water, sodium chloride solutions (0.15M, 0.30M,
0.45M, 0.60M and 0.75M) and paper towel.

4.0 PROCEDURES

First, the petri dishes that contain 6 carrot discs with the size about 5mm 2 were collected.
Second, the carrots then taken to the balance, weighted as a group without the dish and the
result was recorded in the table provided under ‘mass at start’. Thirdly, about 20 ml liquid (A, B,
C, D, E and F) were added to cover the base of petri dish. The carrot disc was spread out in the
liquid then petri dish was left about one to one and a half hour. The liquid was drained into the
sink near the end of the time, and the discs were plotted in paper towel. The discs were then
reweighted, but not the dish, and the result was reported under the heading of "mass at end."
Lastly, the result was placed into the table appropriately, place and then the complementary
was obtained from the others bench.

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5.0 RESULT

Table 1: Mass for carrot at start, at the end and start: end ratio gained from the
experiment

Solution A B C D E F

Molarity 0.00 M 0.15 M 0.30 M 0.45 M 0.60 M 0.75 M

Pure
(increasingly stronger sodium chloride solutions)
water

Mass at
1.37 1.24 1.67 1.58 1.41 1.27
start (g)

Mass at
1.63 1.36 1.72 1.96 1.78 1.32
end (g)

Start:
0.84 0.91 0.73 0.80 0.79 0.96
end ratio

Table 2: Data of start:end ratio gained and also other benches with mean

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 Group A B C D E F

Molarity 0.00 M 0.15 M 0.30 M 0.45 M 0.60 M 0.75 M

Pure
(increasingly stronger sodium chloride solutions)
water

group Start:end ratio

1 0.89 0.93 1 1.09 1.01 1.17

2 0.70 0.90 0.91 1.05 1.27 1.39

3 0.80 0.91 0.91 1.01 1.13 1.13

4 0.86 0.91 0.91 1.13 1.13 1.13

5 0.36 0.92 0.92 1.03 1.06 1.09

6 0.79 0.89 0.91 1.03 1.09 1.01

7 0.90 0.90 1 1.05 0.72 1.10

Mean 0.75 0.90 0.93 1.05 1.06 1.30

6.0 DISCUSSION

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 Osmotic factors regulate the salt content of all living organisms. Water moves
across an organism's surface or membrane to a saltier environment through osmosis.
Carrots, for example, are crisp due to the water (fresh water) trapped inside them. As a
result, if you put a carrot in very salty water, it will be less salty than the water around
it. The water in the carrot moves out of the carrot and into the salt water as a result of
this. As a result, the carrot becomes limp and has a saltier taste than before. The carrot
is saltier than the surrounding water when put in fresh water, so the water flows into
the carrot. If the carrot was previously limp, it will stiffen, and if it was previously crisp,
it will maintain its crispness. This is why cut carrots and celery are often stored in fresh
water.

The determined start:end ratio was used to assess water movement in plant
tissue. Based on the result of the experiment that had been done, mass at end for petri
dishes A and B were 1.37g and 1.24g, which were higher than mass at start of both
petri dish. The end ratio for petri dish A was 0.84 while for petri dish B was 0.91. As the
weight of the plant tissue increased due to the water that moved into the cell, this
result indicated that the carrot had been exposed to a hypotonic solution.

Other than that, mass at end for petri dishes D, E and F were 1.58g, 1.41g and
1.27g respectively, which were less than mass at start of both petri dishes. The
start:end ratio for petri dish D was 0.80 while for petri dishes E and F were 0.79 and
0.96 respectively. As a result of the water moving out of the cell, the weight of the plant
tissue was decreased, indicating that the carrot had been exposed to a hypertonic
solution. Furthermore, carrots in petri dish C had experienced isotonic environment as
the start:end ratio for the petri dish C was 0.73. It meant that there was zero net
movement in the plant cell.

There were also some potential errors that we encountered during the
experiment. When calculating the solution used in the experiment, our eyes were not
on meniscus level, which was a human error.

6.1 Calculation

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a) Start: End ratio = Mass at start (g) ÷ Mass at end (g)
A: 1.37 ÷ 1.63 = 0.84

B: 1.24 ÷ 1.36 = 0.91

C: 1.27 ÷ 1.72 = 0.73

D: 1.58 ÷ 1.96= 0.80

E: 1.41 ÷ 1.78 = 0.79

F: 1.27 ÷ 1.32 = 0.96

start :end ratio other benches

A:
0. 89+0 . 70+0 . 80+0 . 86+0 .36 +0 .79+0. 90
=0. 75
7 B:
0. 93+ . 0. 90+0 . 91+0 .91+0 . 92+0 .89+0 . 90
=0 . 90
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C:
1 . 00+0 . 91+0 .91+0.91+0 .92+0 .91+1. 00
=0 . 93
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D:
1 . 09+1. 05+1 . 01+1. 13+1. 03+1 . 03+1. 05
=1 . 05
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E:
1 . 01+1. 27+1 .13+1 . 13+1. 06+1 . 09+0 .72
=1 . 06
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F:
1 . 17+1. 39+1 .13+1 . 13+1. 09+1 .01+1 . 10
=1. 30
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7.0 CONCLUSION

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As a conclusion, the solutions in petri dish A and B were hypotonic, petri dish C was isotonic,
petri dish D, E, and F were hypertonic solutions.

8.0 REFERENCES

1. Exploring osmosis with carrots (Natasha Bunch),

https://sites.google.com/site/sed555f11/teaching-events/te-natasha-bunch

2. Wiesneth, R. (2017). Understanding Osmosis. The Hoosier Science

3. Cassano, A., Drioli, E., Galaverna, G., Marchelli, R., Di Silvestro, G., & Cagnasso, P.
(2003). Clarification and concentration of citrus and carrot juices by integrated
membrane processes. Journal of food engineering, 57(2), 153-163.

4. Concannon, J. P., & Brown, P. L. (2008). Transforming osmosis: Labs to address

Questions

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1. Why take all this trouble with discs? Surely a single 15 or 20 g chunk carrot would
suffice?

In osmosis, surface area is essential. The surface area of a disc-shaped carrot is more exposed
than a single chunk of carrot. As a result, six carrot chunks were used instead of a single 15g
carrot chunk.

2. Why all this fuss about start: end ratio? Surely the difference between start and
end is good enough?

Instead of only getting the movement of water in and out of water by using the difference
between start and end, we can get the net movement of water diffuse in and out of the cell by
using the ratio.

3. What would a start end ratio of 1.00 indicates?

The start: end ratio of 1.00 indicates condition of isotonic where there is zero net movement of
water in and out of the cell.

4. What would a start end ratio of greater than 1.00 indicates?

If the start end ratio is greater than 1.00, the cell is hypertonic, meaning the water is moving
out of it.

5. If the discs have lost 0.5g in mass? What volume of water has gone from them?

The volume of water that has been removed from them is 0.5mL or 0.5cm cubic.