Potato+Core+Lab

Introduction
In this lab, students had the chance to observe osmosis by placing potato cores in different concentrations of sucrose solution. In concentrations that were hypotonic to the potato cores, the mass of the potato cores expanded because water was flowing into the potato. However, in concentrations that were hypertonic to the potato cores, the mass of the potato cores grew smaller because water was flowing out of the potato. This showed how the net flow of water changed when the sucrose concentration changes.

Reflections
Positive: Overall, this lab went well because our group followed directions and worked efficiently. I especially felt that we did a good job making sure that all the potato cores had the same length and similar masses. Negative: Instead of using a graduated cylinder to measure each of the 50 mL, our group simply 'eyed it'. Next time I would like to measure each of the solutions to get better results. What was learned: From this lab, I learned about the process of osmosis and how different concentrations of solutes affect it. A greater concentration of solutes would cause less water to flow into the core and eventually cause water to flow out of the core. A smaller concentration would cause more water to flow into the potato core. I also learned the importance of keeping other variables constant to ensure the best results. This is evidenced by how diligently our group cut the potato cores. Difficulty: The lab itself was not very difficult. The hardest part was cutting all the potato cores into the same length. However, we eventually figured out a process of cutting the cores by lining them up next to each other. This worked out really well. Gone better: Next time, as previously stated, I would like to actually measure out all of the 50 mL of solution. Furthermore, if this lab was extended, I would like to experiment on different types of potatoes and compare the concentration of solutes in the different potato cells.