New
New
Year 11
AQA
Foundation

The effect of sugar concentration on the mass of plant tissue: practical

I can carry out an investigation into the effect of sugar solution concentration on the mass of fresh potato tissue.

New
New
Year 11
AQA
Foundation

The effect of sugar concentration on the mass of plant tissue: practical

I can carry out an investigation into the effect of sugar solution concentration on the mass of fresh potato tissue.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Water diffuses into and out of cells by osmosis; net movement is from a more dilute solution to a more concentrated one.
  2. Investigating the effect of sucrose solution concentration on the mass of potato chips.
  3. Use of appropriate apparatus to measure volumes, masses and times accurately.
  4. Safe use of materials and apparatus.
  5. Control of variables that might affect the results (e.g. temperature).

Common misconception

Coordinating the measurements and the sugar solution in this practical is fiddly and if not done methodically, the results can be easily confused.

The table in which results will be recorded is clearly labelled and used, and a copy is provided in the worksheet.

Keywords

  • Osmosis - the net movement of water molecules through a selectively-permeable membrane from a dilute solution to a concentrated one

  • Net movement - the overall movement of particles

  • Mass - a measure of how much matter something contains, in grams

  • Control - a variable which is kept constant between all experiments

Consider using a draft version of the data during the practical. You could use salt water instead, and different vegetable chips, or spread these changes throughout the class to compare the results to see how the same biology is occurring, despite these differences.
Teacher tip

Equipment

fresh potato, test tubes, sharp knife or borer, cutting tile, ruler, balance, filter paper, sugar solutions (0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1 M), distilled water, water bath, test tube racks, timer

Content guidance

  • Risk assessment required - equipment

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which part of the plant cell is the selectively-permeable cell membrane?
An image in a quiz
A
Correct answer: B
C
D
Q2.
The net movement of water molecules through a selectively-permeable membrane is called …
active transport
circulation
Correct answer: osmosis
reaction
Q3.
When there are more water molecules on one side of a selectively-permeable membrane than the other, this creates a gradient.
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: concentration
Q4.
The net movement of water molecules through the membrane will be …
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: … from side A to side B.
… from side B to side A.
… equal in both directions.
Q5.
The net movement of water molecules through the membrane will be …
An image in a quiz
… from the concentrated solution to the dilute solution.
Correct answer: … from the dilute solution to the concentrated solution.
… equal in both directions.
Q6.
Which prediction is correct?
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Correct answer: The cell will gain water.
The cell will lose water.
The cell will neither gain nor lose water.

6 Questions

Q1.
When potato chips are placed in sugar solution, they gain and lose water from the solution due to the process of .
Correct Answer: osmosis, diffusion
Q2.
When investigating the effect of sugar solution concentration on potato chips, why were the test tubes placed in a water bath?
An image in a quiz
to control the concentration of the solutions
to measure the concentration of the solutions
Correct answer: to control the temperature of the solutions
to measure the temperature of the solutions
Q3.
When investigating the effect of sugar solution concentration on potato chips, what is the independent variable?
Correct answer: the concentration of the sugar solution
the mass and length of the potato chips
the number of potato chips in each solution
the temperature of the solutions
Q4.
When investigating the effect of sugar solution concentration on potato chips, what is the dependent variable?
the concentration of the sugar solution
Correct answer: the mass and length of the potato chips
the number of potato chips in each solution
the temperature of the solutions
Q5.
At which concentration did the potato chip increase in mass?
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: 0.25 mol/dm$$^3$$
0.50 mol/dm$$^3$$
0.75 mol/dm$$^3$$
1.00 mol/dm$$^3$$
Q6.
Which concentration caused the potato chips to take in water by osmosis?
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: 0.25 mol/dm$$^3$$
0.50 mol/dm$$^3$$
0.75 mol/dm$$^3$$
1.00 mol/dm$$^3$$

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