The Diffusion of Water Within

a Cell Membrane Lab 1

The Diffusion of Water Within a Cell Membrane Lab

Jamie Bouch
Honors Biology Period 9
North Catholic High School
16 April 2019
 The Diffusion of Water Within
a Cell Membrane Lab 2

Introduction

This lab shows the actions of Osmosis. Osmosis is the diffusion of water that goes across

a membrane (Biggs) Diffusion is the traveling of particles that go from a higher concentration

area to a lower concentration area. This keeps the water flowing through the plasma membrane.

For the water to flow, selective permeability has to be in use. Selective permeability is when the

membrane of the cell only lets specific molecules to come in or out of the plasma membrane

(Biggs). The Plasma Membrane of a cell acts as if a separation device for water and soluble

molecules that cannot go through the membrane. Without Osmosis, the cell would not maintain

homeostasis, which is the action that is tried to stay away of change to keep a stable, constant

inner environment (Biggs) .

The action of the plasma membrane goes into the three different kinds of osmotic

environments: Isotonic, Hypotonic, and Hypertonic solutions/environments (Biggs). Isotonic

environment, or solution, has an equilibrium of concentration inside and outside the cell. The

concentration if made of dissolved substances in a type of solution. Cells that are in an Isotonic

environment do take action in osmosis, because of the travel of water in and out of the cell

(Biggs). In a hypotonic solution/environment, the concentration is lower outside of the cell

membrane compared to the concentration to the inside of the cell membrane. But his means the

quantity of pure water outside the cell membrane is higher compared to the inside of the cell

membrane (Biggs). All hypotonic cells take part in the action of osmosis as well. Since there is

water entering the plasma membrane in a hypotonic environment, the cell will swell with water

and the pressure on the inside of the cell will start to increase. If to much water is taken in, the

plasma membrane has the possibility of bursting (Biggs). The action of bursting does not take
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place in a plant cell though (Britinnica). The structure of a plant cell is different on the plasma

membrane. In replacement of a plant cell bursting from too much water added, the plant will

become firm. This is what grocery stores do to keep their produce looking clean and fresh at all

times. The water getting sprayed on them is creating a hypotonic environment, to have the

produce cells swell, to make the produce look nicer and plumper for customers to take home and

enjoy. Then finally there is a hypertonic solution/environment. This is when the concentration is

higher outside the cell rather than inside. This is also having higher ratio of pure water inside the

cell membrane compared to the outside of the cell membrane. Hypertonic environments take

place in osmosis as well. For animal cells, in a hypertonic environment, the cells shrivel up from

the loss of pressure in the cell. This is like when a person was to take a bath or go swimming for

a long period of time. Their skin will shrivel up from all the water pressure decreasing in the

cells. A plant in a hypertonic environment is known to lose water because of the central vacuole.

The plasma membrane and the cytoplasm tend to decrease in size and get further away from the

cell wall. Also, when a plant cell loses water from its cells, it will be droopy and the leaves,

petals, skin, etc. on the plant start to wilt (Britinnica).

Another important factor in cell diffusion is passive transport. Passive transport is when a

cell does not use any type of energy to move particles across the membrane. Passive transport

can move proteins as well in a cell membrane. When there is transport proteins in a cell

membrane, it helps substances move more easily through the plasma membrane (Biggs). Using

passive transport to move materials in a membrane, that also uses transport proteins, has a name

of facilitated diffusion. In some of these diffusions, there are channel proteins. Channel proteins

become channels that don’t allow all molecules to pass through, they only allow certain ones.

There is another kind of protein, carrier protein. Carrier protein is another kind of transport
 The Diffusion of Water Within
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protein. These ones change shape, this allows substances to be able to easily go through the

plasma membrane (Biggs). Not only is there passive transport, but there is active transport as

well. Like stated before, substances in a cell membrane go from high to low concentrations. Now

in a active transport, they do the opposite. The materials in the membrane move against the

concentration gradient. Now active transport does have to have energy involved coming from the

cell. Actions in a active transport are constantly happening. First a transport protein, a carrier

protein, bonds together with a particle of a substance that is to be transported. In these actions,

each one of the carrier proteins have a certain shape they obtain to fit into a certain molecule or

ion. When the two correct molecule and protein combine, the chemical energy released lets the

shape change of the carrier protein from the cell. This shape change happens so that the particle

is released on the opposite side of the cell membrane. After the releasing of the protein, it goes

back to its original state before transporting it (Biggs).

Endocytosis is the actions by a cell that surrounds and receives material from its

surrounding environment. The material it has does not pass straight through the membrane. But it

is takin in completely by a part of the cell’s plasma membrane. This part of the cell will get away

and break off. With that part leaving the cell, the cell’s vacuole moves around inside the cell with

all of its own materials inside it. Exocytosis is the removal of materials from a cell. This is what

cells use to get rid of unwanted waste from inside the cell. Endocytosis and Exocytosis both

involve energy to make happen(Britinnica).

In the lab, to test all these types of actions and transitions, to represent the cell membrane

we used dialysis tubing. The dialysis tubing allows concentrations to move in and out of the it to

represent each of the type of osmotic environments. During the experiment, some of the dialysis
 The Diffusion of Water Within
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tubing decreased in size, while some others increased in size. But in real life, dialysis tubing is

used to remove toxic materials from a person’s bloodstream. The reason why doctors use this

type of material is because of its semipermeable membrane, like our cells have in our lab. It lets

some particles to come through while not letting in what needs to stay. Dialysis tubing, overall,

is used as a filter for solutions and concentrations that need separated.

The purposes for this lab it to see the different kinds of osmotic environments, and how

they perform. A hypotonic environment has more water enter through the cell membrane, than it

does leave the cell membrane, this increases the cell’s mass. If it takes in too much water, the

cell membrane can burst. In an isotonic environment, the same amount of water enters and leaves

the cell membrane, keeping the mass about the same. Then the third kind of osmosis

environment is the hypertonic environment. In the hypertonic environment, more water leaves

the cell membrane then enters the cell membrane. This will cause the mass of the cell membrane

to decrease. In this lab, there is at least one example for each of these. The increase and decrease

of the masses also show the rate of osmosis. The more the dialysis tubes increase in mass in a

small amount of time, the higher rate of osmosis. The slower the increase of mass in an amount

of time, the slower the rate of osmosis. Then another purpose for this experiment is in part 2,

color change. The dialysis tubing as well as the solution in the beaker change color over time.

This is also from the transfer of concentration in and out of the bag.

Each bag represents a type of environment. Bag and beaker 1 represent a cell in an

isotonic environment. This is because the ratio of pure water is the same inside and outside the

dialysis tubing, being the cell. Therefore, the mass shall remain the same. Bag and beaker 2, 3, 4,

and 6 represent a cell in a hypotonic environment. This is because the ratio of pure water is
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higher outside the dialysis tubing, the cell membrane, than inside the dialysis tubing. Therefore,

the mass shall increase in the cell membrane. Bag and beaker 5 represent a cell in a hypertonic

environment. This is because the ratio of pure water is higher inside the dialysis tubing, the cell

membrane, than outside it. Therefore, the mass shall decrease in the cell membrane.

For each part of the experiment there are variables. The dependent variable for part 1 is

the mass of each bag as time goes one. The dependent for part 2 is the color change after the 15-

minute time frame. The constants for part one are the following: the kind of dialysis tubing, the

string to tie the ends of the bags, the solutions for each individual bag and its own beaker, the

size of beakers, the amount of each solution used, the time difference between each weight

check, and the room temperature. The control group for part 1 can be considered bag and beaker

1. Both being pure water. This is because water does not react with water, therefore this setup’s

mass shall remain the same. The experimental groups are bags and beakers 2 through 6. They is

because their ratios of pure water is different from their inside environments to their outside

environments. This should supply a reaction of transfer of water molecules, changing the weight

of the bags. The constants for part 2 are the following: the type of dialysis tubing, the kind of

string to tie the ends, and the time frame to check the color change in the iodine water solution

and the starch solution in the dialysis tube. There is no control group in part 2 of the experiment.

The only setup in part 2 is the experimental group, because of it having a color change.

My hypothesis for part 1 are the following: If bag 1 has an equal ration of pure water on

the inside and outside of the bag, then its mass will stay about the same because it is an isotonic

environment, having the same amount of water enter the bag as it does leave the bag. If bag 2 has

more pure water on the outside than inside of the bag, then its mass will increase because it is a
 The Diffusion of Water Within
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hypotonic environment, of having water enter the bag than leave. If bag 3 has more pure water

on the outside than inside of the bag, then its mass will increase because it is a hypotonic

environment, of having water enter the bag than leave. If bag 4 has more pure water on the

outside than inside of the bag, then its mass will increase because it is a hypotonic environment,

of having more water enter the bag than leave. If bag 5 has more pure water on the inside than

outside of the bag, then its mass will decrease because it is a hypertonic environment, of having

more water leave the bag than enter. If bag 6 has more pure water on the outside than inside of

the bag, then its mass will increase because it is a hypotonic environment, of having water enter

the bag than leave.

My hypothesis for part 2 is since the pure water ratio is different from the inside

compared to the outside of the dialysis tubing, then the concentrations are going to move in and

out of the dialysis tubing, producing color changes because of the reactions of iodine combining

with starch.

Materials

 7 pieces of dialysis tubing (about 5 cm each)

 Bowl of water

 14 pieces of string (about 2-3 cm each)

 Scissors

 910 mL of tap water

 400 mL of 60% glucose solution

 5 mL of 20% starch solution

 5 mL of 40% starch solution

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 5 mL of 60% starch solution

 5 mL of 80% starch solution

 1 teaspoon of starch

 scoopula

 7 beakers (able to fill 200 mL of solution per beaker)

 6 plastic pipettes

 6 graduated cylinders

 Iodine

 dropper

 Glass weighing dish

 Stopwatch

 Paper towels or napkins

 Paper and pencil (data recording)

Procedures: part 1

1. Get 6 pieces of dialysis tubing, that have been soaking in water. Fold one end of the

dialysis tubing about 1 centimeter down, then fold it in half. Then take a piece of string

and tie a not around the folded part as tight as possible. This is going to create a seal so

there is no leakage from the tube. Then cut the extra string off.

2. Then fill each of the dialysis tubing to the following: in bag 1, a piece of dialysis tubing,

fill with 5 mL of tap water. In bag 2 fill with 5 mL of 20% starch solution. In bag 3 fill

with 5 mL of 40% starch solution. In bag 4 fill with 5 mL of 60% starch solution. In bag

5 fill with 5 mL of tap water. Then finally, in bag 6 fill with 5 mL of 80% starch solution.
 The Diffusion of Water Within
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3. Once each bag is filled with its correct solution, follow step 1 to tie the end that has not

been tied yet. This will seal the bag so that no solution will be able to escape. To keep

organized, put each of the bags on a numbered paper towel to avoid misplacing a bag at

any time. This will also help not cross contaminate.

4. By using the glass weighing dish, weigh each of the bags individually. Make sure to

record each beginning weight on a piece of paper.

5. Then fill 4 beakers with 200 mL of tap water each. Then fill 2 other beakers with 200 mL

of 60% glucose solution.

6. In the 4 beakers of tap water, put bags 1, 2, 3, and 4, one in each of the beakers. Then in

the 2 glucose beakers, put bags 5 and 6, each in one of those beakers.

7. Once all bags are in their designated beakers, set a timer for 5 minutes. Once the 5

minutes are up, take out all the bags and put them on their towels to dry. Then weigh each

bag, once its dry, and record its weight. Also calculate the weight difference from its

original mass, did it go up or go down?

8. Once the weight of the bags is recorded, put the bags back in their designated beakers for

5 more minutes. You will repeat step 7 for every 5 minutes till the bags have been in their

designated solutions for a total of 20 minutes.

9. Once all the data is recorded, through away the used dialysis tubes and rinse out the

beakers till they are clean.

Procedures: Part 2

1. Get another dialysis tube, that has been soaking in water. Tie one end refer back to

procedure 1 in part 1 to tie the tube.

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2. Fill the bag with 5 mL of water. With the scoopula, scoop up about a teaspoon of starch

and pour it into the dialysis tube to mix with the water. Tie the other end of the dialysis

tube once filled.

3. Wash off the outside of the bag, dialysis tube, to clean any spilled starch on the outside.

Get a paper towel to dry off bag once rinsed.

4. Fill a beaker with 200 mL of tap water and add 8 drops of iodine.

5. Record observations made of the solution in the beaker before adding the dialysis tube.

Also record observations of the dialysis tube before placing into the beaker.

6. Once observations are recorded, place the dialysis tube into the beaker of iodine water

solution.

7. Set the timer for 15 minutes.

8. Once the 15 minutes are over, remove the bag from the beaker and dry it off.

9. Record your new observations of the iodine water solution in the beaker, as well as the

dialysis tubing itself.

Results: Part 1

Table 1: Masses of Dialysis Tubes Over Time

Time (min) Bag 1 Bag 2 Bag 3 Bag 4 Bag 5 Bag 6

0 5g 5g 5g 5g 5g 5g
5 5.33 g 5.2 g 5.59 g 5.33 g 5.22 g 5.55 g
10 5.419 g 5.337 g 5.89 g 5.64 g 4.98 g 5.555 g
15 5.439 g 5.519 g 6.107 g 5.869 g 4.79 g 5.585 g
20 5.459 g 5.559 g 6.227 g 6.009 g 4.49 g 5.771 g
Description: This table shows the averages of all data from performed experiments in the Honors
Biology classroom. In each column from the second one and to the right is the masses of each
bag, dialysis tube, from 0 minutes to 20 minutes. Each dialysis tube’s weight starts at 5 grams. In
the very left column shows the time of when each of the tubes were weighed. The table shows
the data of the dialysis tubes increasing and decreasing in mass over the 20-minute span.
 The Diffusion of Water Within
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Weight vs. Time

6.3

5.8
mass (grams)

5.3

4.8

4.3
0 5 10 15 20

time (minutes)

Bag 1 Bag 2 Bag 3 Bag 4 Bag 5 Bag 6

Figure 1: Masses of Dialysis Tubes Over Time

Description: Above is a figure represented by a line graph. The figure is the date from Table 1
above. Each colored line represents a bag, that is coded at the bottom of the figure. The lines
either increase or decrease representing their change in mass, being explained in Table 1
description.
In this experiment, each bag, dialysis tube, either increased or decreased in mass. Each

bag as well started at 5 grams, this is for comparison and set all at equilibrium. In figure 1, it

displays the rate of osmosis for bag one. The steeper the like, the faster rate of osmosis. The

more leveled off the line is, the slower the rate of osmosis.

Bag 1 started at 5 grams. Then it increased by .33 grams in 5 minutes. Then from 5 to 10

minutes, it increased to 5.419 grams. Then bag 1 steadily started to increase from 10 to 20

minutes. At 15 minutes it was at 5.439 grams, and at 20 minutes it was at 5.459 grams. In figure
 The Diffusion of Water Within
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1, bag one is the darker blue line. It starts off increasing from 0 to 5 minutes. But then starts to

level off from 5 minutes to 20 minutes, but still very slowly increases.

Bag 2 did similar to bag one. It started at 5 grams, then at 5 minutes it was at 5.2 grams.

Then at 10 minutes it increased more to 5.337 grams. Then increased to 5.519 grams at 15

minutes and finally at 5.559 grams at 20 minutes. In figure 1, bag 2 is the orange line. From 0

minutes to 15 minutes it shows a steady increase. This shows that its rate of osmosis was also

steadily increasing in that time frame. Then in the last 5 minutes, being the 15 to 20 minutes time

frame, the line started to level off. So in the last 5 minutes, the rate of osmosis slowed from

before.

Bag 3 increased in mass a little faster than bag 1 and 2. It also started at 5 grams. Then at

5 minutes, it weighed 5.59 grams. At 10 minutes bag 3 weighed 5.89 grams. Then from 15

minutes to 20 minutes it went from 6.107 grams to 6.227 grams. In figure 1, bag three is the gray

line. Looking at figure 1, you can see that the gray line is the highest of them all, because its

mass was heaviest out of all the bags. From 0 to 5 minutes it increased with a steep line. This

means that it had a fast rate of osmosis. Then it slowly started to level off a little bit but was still

increasing fast. Bag 3 had the fastest rate of osmosis out of all 6 bags.

Bag 4 started at 5 grams. It then increased at a steady pace, being about .2 grams every 5

minutes. At 5 minutes it was 5.33 grams. Then at 10 minutes it was 5.64 grams. Then at 15

minutes it was 5.869 grams and went to 6.009 grams at 20 minutes. In figure 1, bag 4 is the

yellow line. Bag 4 just falls a little below of bag 3. It has the same pattern as bag 3. From 0 to 10

minutes it had a steep increase of mass, having a fast rate of osmosis. The it started to level off,
 The Diffusion of Water Within
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but still increase fast. This shows that the rate of osmosis slowed a little bit. Bag 4 was the 2nd to

fastest rate of osmosis bag.

Bag 5 also started at 5 grams. But bag 5 is different from the rest. It at first increased

then decreased. At 5 minutes it was increased to 5.22 grams. But it then decreased fast. At 10

minutes it weighted 4.98 grams. Then at 15 minutes it weighed 4.79, and at 20 minutes it

weighed 4.49 grams. In figure 1, bag 5 is the light blue line. It is the outlier in the graph, because

it is the only one that significantly decreases. From 0 to 5 minutes, it increased slowly, but from

5 to 20 minutes its weight drops fast. From 0 to 5 minutes, the rate of osmosis is slow because it

did not increase in mass that much. But from 5 to 20 minutes the rate was fast in a decreasing

measure.

Bag 6 increased in mass as time went on, but it was slowly compared to the rest. It started

at 5 grams, then increased to 5.55 grams at 5 minutes. Then at 10 minutes, it barely increased

being at 5.555 grams. Then at 15 minutes it weighed 5.585 grams, and at 20 minutes it finally

weighed 5.771 grams. In figure 1, bag 6 is the green line. It shows a weird function on the graph.

From 0 to 5 minutes the line is increasing steeply, having a very fast rate of osmosis. Then from

5 to 15 minutes, it decreases at a slow rate, slowing the rate of osmosis significantly. The from

15 minutes to 20 minutes, bag 6’s mass started to increase again, but at a slow rate. This shows it

had a slow rate of osmosis but still increasing.

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Results: Part 2

Table 2: Cell Model Permeability Data

Starting Color Color after 15 minutes

Solution in Dialysis Bag White Purple
Solution in Beaker Yellow White/Clear
Description: In the table, this shows the data from the procedures part 2. When the starch was
first mixed with the water in the bag, it was white. Then 15 minutes later, being left in the iodine
water solution, it turned purple. Then for the iodine water solution, when it was first mixed, it
was a yellow color. Then 15 minutes later, it was a white/clear color in the beaker.

Discussion:

In setup 1, being bag and beaker 1, our results do not match our expected results. Our

expected results state that the mass would remain the same throughout the time frames because

the pure water ratio was the same inside and outside the dialysis tube, also known as isotonic

environment. The reason for the increase in mass in the beginning could have been from human

error. Human error can contain a lot of things. One could be cross contamination. Other solutions

may have got mixed with the pure water inside or outside the dialysis tubing, affecting the results

of the mass.

In setup 2, being bag and beaker 2, our results do match our expected results. The dialysis

tube increased in mass because of it being a hypotonic environment. Having more water enter the

dialysis tube than exit.

In setup 3, being bag and beaker 3, our results do match our expected results. The dialysis

tube increased in mass because it was in a hypotonic environment. This is having more water

enter the dialysis tubing rather than exit.

 The Diffusion of Water Within
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In setup 4, being bag and beaker 4, our results do match our expected results. The dialysis

tube increased in mass because it was in a hypotonic environment. This is having more water

enter the dialysis tubing rather than exit.

In setup 5, being bag and beaker 5, our results not match. The increase of mass is from

human error from the 0 to 5-minute time frame. The human error could be from multiple of

different things. One being cross contamination. Plastic pipettes may have been mixed up, with

some containing the wrong percent of starch concentration that what was needed for that

particular setup. Other error could have been that the strings may have not been tied tight

enough. This may have let more of solutions get into the bag, affecting the weight. But after the

5-minute mark, the mass did increase like expected in our expected results. Also, if we may have

left the dialysis tubing in the beaker of glucose concentration longer, it may have leveled off

more for equilibrium.

In setup 6, being bag and beaker 6, our results do match our expected results. The dialysis

tube increased in mass because it was in a hypotonic environment. This is having more water

enter the dialysis tubing rather than exit.

The concentration gradients in each of the setups may have affected the rate of osmosis.

This is based on how fast the water passes through the cell membrane. The greater the

concentration gradient, the faster and greater osmosis rate. As a setup gets closer to equilibrium,

however, the lower the osmosis rate gets, the less of a concentration gradient it presents as well.

At every setup, there was osmosis rate present. Whether it was increasing or decreasing in mass.

In part 2, the inside of the simulated cell turned blue at one point of the lab. This is

because when iodine is in the presence of starch, it turns a blur or black color. In the combine of
 The Diffusion of Water Within
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the 2 forms a compound of amylose, which makes the blue color. The amylose comes mainly

form the starch. Starch is a polysaccharide that is made up of glucose unites that have two units

of itself: linear amylose and branched amylopectin.

Dialysis tubing is permeable because in real life it is a filter for the medical field. It is a

filter for blood in a human body, it filters out the bad particles and leaves the good ones. For our

experiment, the dialysis tubing is supposed to represent a cell membrane. Allowing

concentrations to move in and out of it, to see the rate of osmosis change.

There are many possibilities for sources of error in this experiment. One being cross

contamination. With the many people using the materials throughout the day, the pipettes or

beakers may not have gone to the correct spot every time or may not have been cleaned as well

as thought. Another reason is tying the strings. When sealing the dialysis tubes, the strings may

not have been tied tight enough, letting concentrations go in and out of the bags, affecting all the

results. Another error is not being as accurate as thought. The tubes or beakers may have been

filled to much, or too less than what was needed. This could affect the numbers in table 1. Then

lastly, another error could be over adding to a concentration to make it. For example in part 2,

there may have been to much starch added to the dialysis tubing, and too much iodine added to

the water in the beaker.

One change I would make to this experiment is add more time. Instead of only going to

20 minutes, I would at least make it 30 minutes, or have a goal for an hour. This would show

more specific and accurate results for each of the setups.

Conclusion:
 The Diffusion of Water Within
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This is an excellent experiment to learn about osmosis and the three osmosis

environments. Seeing the change in mass over periods of time is good for hands on leaners who

may not understand the terms and way out of a book or from a teacher. It also shows how much

organization and calculations matter. One mess up can affect many of the results in the future of

the experiment.

References:

Biggs, A. (2009). Biology. Columbus, OH: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill.

Britannica, T. E. (2019, March 01). Osmosis. Retrieved from

https://www.britannica.com/science/osmosis
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Editors. (2019, March 26). Selective Permeability. Retrieved from

https://biologydictionary.net/selective-permeability/

Homeostasis. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.khanacademy.org/science/high-school-biology/hs-

human-body-systems/hs-body-structure-and-homeostasis/a/homeostasis

Why Does Iodine Turn Starch Blue? (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.chemistryviews.org/details/education/10128441/Why_Does_Iodine_Turn_Starch_

Blue.html