Carry out the following osmosis experiment: Take four peeled potato halves and scoop each one out to make potato cups. One of these potato cups should be made from a boiled potato. Put each potato cup in a trough containing water.

By BYJU'S Exam Prep

Updated on: September 25th, 2023

(a) Keep cup A empty

(b) Put one teaspoon of sugar in cup B

(d) Put one teaspoon of sugar in the boiled potato cup D.

Keep these for two hours. Then observe the four potato cups and answer the following:

(i) Explain why water gathers in the hollowed portion of B and C.

Solution:

Water gathers in the hollowed portions of potato cups B and C due to the occurrence of osmosis.

Table of content

1. Carry out the following osmosis experiment: Take four peeled potato halves and scoop each one out to make potato cups. One of these potato cups should be made from a boiled potato. Put each potato cup in a trough containing water.

Why cup A’s water level is the same as cup B’s:

Inside cup A, there is no solution or solvent.
Therefore, there won’t be any osmotic pressure in this situation.
Therefore, the water in the cup does not transfer from the outside to the inside.

The cause of the cup B’s higher water level is:

The increase in water level in cup B is due to osmosis.
Through a semipermeable membrane, solvent molecules flow from a region of low solute concentration to a region of higher solute concentration. This process is known as osmosis.
In this instance, water enters the potato cup through a semi-permeable barrier made of potato cells.
In comparison to the medium outside of the potato cups, the medium inside has a higher percentage of sugar (solute).
Since the solvent is moving from a zone of low solute concentration to a region of higher solute concentration, water travels toward the interior of the potato cup.

Why cup C’s water level is higher:

The increase in water level in cup B is due to osmosis.
Through a semipermeable membrane, solvent molecules flow from a region of low solute concentration to a region of higher solute concentration. This process is known as osmosis.
In this instance, water enters the potato cup through a semi-permeable barrier made of potato cells.
In comparison to the medium outside of the potato cups, the medium inside has a higher concentration of salt (solute).
Since the solvent is moving from a zone of low solute concentration to a region of higher solute concentration, water travels toward the interior of the potato cup.

Why cup D’s water level is the same as cup A’s:

Cured potatoes make up Cup D.
The cell membranes and all of the potato’s cells once it has been boiled are dead.
Therefore, there isn’t a membrane that osmosis could happen across.
As a result, the water level in cup D has not changed.

As a result, osmosis causes water to collect in the hollowed areas of potato cups B and C.

Summary: