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Investigation: The Effect of Salt on a Potato

  • Page ID
    27650
  • This page is a draft and is under active development. 

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    What do you think will happen if you soak a potato in salt water overnight? potato.png

     

    Pre Lab Discussion: 

    1. Consider what you know about osmosis and transport across the membrane and PREDICT what will happen to potato slices soaked in salt water. Describe your predictions. 
    2. If you are going to place potato slices in salt water, what do you need to set up as your CONTROL?   

     

    Procedure and Data Collection:  

    Use a scale to weigh your potato slices in grams.  Mass of Potato Slice 1 ___________         Mass of Potato Slice 2 _________

    Place potato slice 1 in a cup of salt water, place potato slice 2 in a cup of distilled water.  

    Use a sharpie to label the cups as SALT or DI water and write your initials.  Let sit overnight. 

    Weigh each of the slices the next day.  Mass of Potato Slice 1 ___________         Mass of Potato Slice 2 _________

     

    Analysis

    1. Describe what happened to the mass of each slice  (did it go up, down, or stay the same).  Write in complete sentences.
    2. Refer to your notes or your understanding about osmosis.  Explain WHY you got these results.  Write in complete and thoughtful sentences, use the back of this page, and include the following words in your explanation:  osmosis, cells, solution

    Investigation: The Effect of Salt on a Potato is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.

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