In this lab we took two eggs, and put them both in vinegar to dissolve the eggshell, and expose the membrane. After two days we took them both out of the vinegar, and put them into de-ionized water for a few more days, then after measuring their mass and circumference, placed one in sugar water, and one in de-ionized water. We then waited two days, measured their mass, and circumference again.
The cell that was placed in the hypertonic solution(sugar water) shrunk. Its mass decreased by 51.7%, and its circumference decreased by 23.67%. This was caused by the water in the cell wanting to diffuse from high concentration(the cell), to low concentration(the sugar water), and the sugar wanting to defuse into the cell,but being blocked by the membrane. The cell that was placed in the hypotonic solution grew. Its mass increased by .176%, and its circumference increased by .201%. This was caused by the water in the cell wanting to passively diffuse from high concentration(the DI water), to low concentration(the cell), and the minerals wanting to defuse into the cell,but being blocked by the membrane.
A cell's internal environment changes, as its external environment changes, because it naturally wants to maintain equilibrium, and because of that the cell will try to take in everything around it , until the concentration inside, and outside of the cell is the same. It does this through diffusion.
This lab demonstrates diffusion, and how solutes, and solvents want to move along the concentration, and the effect this has on the cell.
Fresh vegetable are sprinkled with water, because water is hypotonic, and will want to diffuse into the cells of the vegetable, which will make the vegetable bigger, which will in turn make it look better, and make more people want to buy it. Also, when road are sprinkled with salt, the plants along the side die because the salt is hypertonic, and will make the cells in the plant shrink and lose functionality.
Based of this lab, I would want to do a lab to determine the effects of salt water on a cell, versus mineral water.
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