Lab3Handout Osmosis PDF

Lab 3.
Osmosis: How Does the Concentration of Salt in Water Affect

the Rate of Osmosis?
Introduction
In both plants and animals, each cell is surrounded by a membrane. This membrane forms a selective
barrier between the cell and its environment (see Figure L3.1—the membrane is the wall in the middle of
the figure). Large molecules, such as sugars (C6H12O6) or fats, and charged molecules, such as sodium
ions (Na+) or chlorine ions (Cl–), cannot pass through the membrane, but small molecules such as oxygen
(O2) can. Without this barrier, the substances necessary to the life of the cell would diffuse uniformly into
the cell’s surroundings, and toxic materials from the surroundings would enter the cell. The cell
membrane is referred to as semipermeable because some particles
can naturally cross it while others cannot. This ability to regulate
the flow of molecules into and out of the cell keeps the cell’s FIGURE L3.1
A semipermeable membrane
internal environment stable, even though parts of that
environment are always shifting.
Chemical particles are constantly in motion. How much they
move is related to the amount of energy they contain and how
concentrated they are. Diffusion is the movement of chemical
particles (i.e., atoms, molecules, ions) from an area of high
concentration to an area of low concentration. Without any
barriers to such movement (like a membrane), chemical particles
naturally diffuse in this direction. If a membrane is present, then
only particles that can cross it naturally will be able to continue to
diffuse normally. To make particles move in the opposite
direction (low concentration to high concentration), energy must
be added to the particles. Osmosis refers specifically to the
diffusion of water molecules. In cells, water cannot simply diffuse
across the membrane. However, special openings in the
FIGURE L3.2
(a) Red blood cells in saltwater solution
membrane allow for easy flow of water molecules so cells can and (b) normal red blood cells
take in or get rid of water when needed.
An isotonic solution is a solution that has the same
concentration of particles and water as the cell. If blood cells
(or other cells) are placed in contact with an isotonic solution,
they will neither shrink nor swell. If the solution is
hypertonic—having a higher concentration of solute (and lower
concentration of water) than inside the cell membrane—the
cells will lose water and shrink. If the solution is hypotonic—
having a lower concentration of solute and higher
concentration of water molecules—the cells will gain water and swell. Saltwater from the ocean is
hypertonic to the cells of the human body since it has more salt in it. Cells, as a result, lose water and
shrink (see Figure L3.2). That is why we can’t drink water from the ocean—it dehydrates body
tissues instead of quenching thirst.
Your Task
Design an experiment to determine how the concentration of salt in water affects the rate of osmosis.
The guiding question of this investigation is, How does the concentration of salt in water affect the
rate of osmosis?
Materials
You may use any of the following materials during your investigation:
Consumables Equipment
• Salt solutions • Electronic or triple beam balance
• Water • Graduated cylinder and beakers
• Dialysis tubing (assume that it
behaves just like the membrane of a
cell)
• Sanitized indirectly vented chemical-
splash goggles
• Chemical-resistant apron
• Gloves
Safety Precautions
Follow all normal lab safety rules. In addition, take the following safety precautions:
1. Put on sanitized indirectly vented chemical-splash goggles and laboratory apron and gloves
before starting the lab activity.
2. Immediately wipe up any spilled water to avoid a slip and fall hazard.
3. Wash hands with soap and water after completing the lab activity.
Investigation Proposal Required?  Yes  No
Getting Started
You will use models of cells rather than real cells during FIGURE L3.3
your experiment. You will use models for two reasons: Tying the dialysis tubing
(1) a model of a cell is much larger than a real cell, which
makes the process of data collection much easier; and (2)
you can create your cell models in any way you see fit,
which makes it easier to control for a wide range of
variables during your experiment.
You can construct a model cell by using the dialysis
tubing. Dialysis tubing behaves much like a cell
membrane. To create a model of a cell, place the
dialysis tubing in water until it is thoroughly soaked.
Remove the soaked tubing from the water and tightly
twist one end several times and either tie with string or
tie a knot in the tubing. You can then fill the model cell
with a salt solution or distilled water. Once filled, twist the open end several times and tie it tightly as
shown in Figure L3.3. You can then dry the bag and place it into any type of solution you need.
To answer the guiding question, you will need to design and conduct an experiment. To accomplish
this task, you must first determine what type of data you need to collect, how you will collect it, and how
you will analyze it before you can design your experiment. To determine what type of data you need to
collect, think about the following questions:
• How will you determine the rate of osmosis?
• What type of measurements or observations will you need to record during your investigation?
To determine how you will collect your data, think about the following questions:
• What will serve as a control (or comparison) condition?
• What types of treatment conditions will you need to set up and how will you do it?
• How often will you collect data and when will you do it?
• How will you make sure that your data are of high quality (i.e., how will you reduce error)?
• How will you keep track of the data you collect and how will you organize it?
To determine how you will analyze your data, think about the following questions:
• How will you determine if there is a difference between the treatment conditions and the control
condition?
• How will you calculate change over time?
• What type of graph could you create to help make sense of your data?
Connections to Crosscutting Concepts, the Nature of Science, and the Nature of Scientific
Inquiry
As you work through your investigation, be sure to think about
• why developing and using models is important in science,
• the importance of tracking how matter flows into and out of a system,
• the difference between observations and inferences in science, and
• the nature and role of experiments in science.
Initial Argument
Once your group has finished collecting and analyzing
FIGURE L3.4
Argument presentation on a whiteboard
your data, you will need to develop an initial argument.
Your argument must include a claim, evidence to
support your claim, and a justification of the evidence.
The claim is your group’s answer to the guiding
question. The evidence is an analysis and interpretation
of your data. Finally, the justification of the evidence is
why your group thinks the evidence matters. The
justification of the evidence is important because
scientists can use different kinds of evidence to support
their claims. Your group will create your initial
argument on a whiteboard. Your whiteboard should
include all the information shown in Figure L3.4.
Argumentation Session
The argumentation session allows all of the groups to share their arguments. One member of each group
will stay at the lab station to share that group’s argument, while the other members of the group go to the
other lab stations one at a time to listen to and critique the arguments developed by their classmates. This
is similar to how scientists present their arguments to other scientists at conferences. If you are
responsible for critiquing your classmates’ arguments, your goal is to look for mistakes so these mistakes
can be fixed and they can make their argument better. The argumentation session is also a good time to
think about ways you can make your initial argument better. Scientists must share and critique
arguments like this to develop new ideas.
• What did your group do to collect the data? Why do you think that way is the best way to do it?
• What did your group do to analyze the data? Why did your group decide to analyze it that way?
• What other ways of analyzing and interpreting the data did your group talk about?
• What did your group do to make sure that these calculations are correct?
• Why did your group decide to present your evidence in that way?
• What other claims did your group discuss before you decided on that one? Why did your group
abandon those other ideas?
• How sure are you that your group’s claim is accurate? What could you do to be more certain?
Once the argumentation session is complete, you will have a chance to meet with your group and
revise your initial argument. Your group might need to gather more data or design a way to test one or
more alternative claims as part of this process. Remember, your goal at this stage of the investigation is to
develop the most valid or acceptable answer to the research question!
Report
Once you have completed your research, you will need to prepare an investigation report that consists of
three sections that provide answers to the following questions:
1. What question were you trying to answer and why?
2. What did you do during your investigation and why did you conduct your investigation in this
way?
3. What is your argument?
Your report should answer these questions in two pages or less. The report must be typed and any
diagrams, figures, or tables should be embedded into the document. Be sure to write in a persuasive
style; you are trying to convince others that your claim is acceptable or valid!

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Lab 3.

Osmosis: How Does the Concentration of Salt in Water Affect

Investigation Proposal Required?  Yes  No

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