Investigation to determine the Water Potential of Apple Juice

INTRODUCTION
Water molecules move into and out of cells through their cell membranes, which are partially
permeable, by a process known as OSMOSIS.

A useful definition of osmosis might be:

Osmosis is the net movement of water through a partially permeable membrane from
an area where it is highly concentrated to an area where it is less concentrated.

Below is a simple diagram to show osmosis

NB A partially permeable membrane, also sometimes called a semipermeable membrane, a selectively

permeable membrane or a differentially permeable membrane, is a membrane that will allow only certain
molecules or ions to pass through it by diffusion. Commonly solute molecules such as sugar cannot pass through
the membrane, while solvent molecules, such as water, can.

The investigation which we will do, attempts to establish the exact water potential of apple
tissue.

A definition of water potential is:

Water potential is the tendency of a solution to lose water. Water moves from a
solution with high water potential to one with low water potential. Water potential is
decreased by the addition of solute to the solution and increased by the application of
pressure. The symbol for water potential is ψ.
The water moves down a water potential gradient. When the water potential in both regions
is equal, both areas are then in equilibrium and there is no further net movement of water
molecules.

The water potential of a cell is determined by two factors:

● The solute potential ψ𝑠
● The pressure potential ψ𝑝

-The solute potential ψ𝑠 is a measure of the reduction in water potential due to the presence
of solute molecules. It is the negative component of water potential, sometimes referred to
as the osmotic potential or osmotic pressure.

-The pressure potential ψ𝑝 is the hydrostatic pressure to which water is subjected. The
pressure potential is usually positive. It is sometimes called turgor or wall pressure.

Therefore: ψcell = ψ𝑠 + ψ𝑝

When the environment water potential and the cell water potential are the same, the two
systems or solutions are said to be isotonic. If the external water potential is more negative
than the cell water potential, the solution is hypertonic. This means that water leaves the
cell and it becomes flaccid (ψ𝑝 = 0) and in plant cells, the cell membrane pulls away from
the cell wall. This is called plasmolysis. If the external water potential is less negative than
the cell water potential, the solution is hypotonic and water begins to move into the cell,
causing to swell by increasing the ψ𝑝. As the ψ𝑝 continues to rise it will eventually balance
ψ𝑠 until now the water potential ψ equals 0. This prevents any more water entering the cell
and the cell is now said to be turgid.

The image shows how relative concentrations affect an animal (red blood) cell, which has no
cell wall.
By determining the point at which pressure potential equals 0, then it is possible to
determine the water potential by knowing the solute potential. Solute potential can be
determined by drawing a graph curve, showing concentration against percentage change in
mass and length, and finding the point at which the curve crosses the x-axis. (Solute
concentration is known from the solutions made in the investigation.) The graph usually
looks something like this:

The concentration at which the curve crosses the x-axis is the concentration of the solute in
the tissue being tested. By using a calibration curve it is possible to establish the pressure in
kPa of that concentration and thus find the solute potential for the tissue. Since the pressure
potential = 0 at this point, the solute potential will also be the value for water potential.

For example, if the concentration was set at 0.4M, by using the graph below the pressure
would come to a value of -1000kPa.

Example of a Calibration Curve

The table below shows water potentials of given sucrose molar solutions at 20°c. From these
data can be drawn a calibration curve.