Title :

The effect of different sucrose levels on the mass (g) of potato samples.

Introduction :
- This topic is a crucial step in my initiation into the biology and experimental world. The
day we first started this experiment I was interested in the idea of seeing how a potato,
something that we consume on an everyday basis, would be impacted when in contact
with different sucrose levels. What I was looking forward to was seeing the difference
between a 0 sucrose solution on a potato and a 1 molar sucrose solution on a potato. This
matters because it helps me get started into knowing how to deal with different materials,
but most importantly how the mass of a potato may differ after its interaction with
different sucrose solutions in a period of three days. This topic is worth investigating
because it helps us understand the osmosis process and helps us understand how changes
in solute concentrations would affect the health of plant cells.

Research Question or Problem Statement :

How do different sucrose levels affect the mass (g) of potato samples?

Background Research :
- The dependent variable is the mass (g) of the potato samples and its relevance to biology
is that it gives out data on the changes in the mass of potato cells when interacting with
different sucrose level concentrations. It is going to reflect the swelling or shrinking of
the potato cell. Moreover, the independent variable, the different sucrose concentrations,
is relevant to biology because it represents the environment in which the potato samples
are placed. It is the factor the investigator manipulates to see the effect on the dependent
variable. When the two variables interact or relate to each other, the process of os
osmosis is what is expected to occur. The sucrose level represents the solute
concentration, and the potato cell acts as the semi-permeable membrane. The process of
osmosis involves the movement of water across the cell membrane from a low to a high
concentration. The sucrose level in the solution is lower than what is inside the potato
cells, which will cause it to gain mass. The opposite can also occur, which would cause
the potato to lose mass.

Hypothesis :
If the level of concentration of sucrose in the solution increases, then the mass of the potato
samples will decrease. I think that the increase in the concentration level of sucrose will cause
the mass of the potato samples to decrease, because as the sucrose concentration in the solution
increases, more water will get out of the cells, which will lead to a decrease in mass, in
accordance with the process of osmosis.
Variables :

Independent Variable The Sucrose Concentration Levels

(moles/liter)

Dependent Variable The mass (g) of the potato samples

Controlled Variables Temperature (°C):

- Can affect the chemical reactions of
the dependent variable. High
temperature would accelerate osmosis,
low temperature would slow it down.
- How to keep it constant? Have the
experiment at room temperature, and
minimize temperature changes by
keeping it in the same room
Potato (Ensuring we have the same potato):
- Different potatoes would affect the
dependent variable as they could have
different water content, impacting the
osmosis rate
- How to keep it constant? Use the same
potato for all the trials and cut the
potato samples from the same potato
Size of Potato Samples (cm):
- This could impact dependent
variables as different samples would
have a slower rate or faster rate of
mass change, and results wouldn’t be
accurate
- How to keep it constant? Cut the
potato samples the same size using a
knife or cork borer and weigh each
one to make sure all of the samples
have the same mass.

Materials :
Materials Number of Materials Used

Beaker (250 ml) 6

Potato 1

Cork borer 1
 Balance 1

Test tubes 6
Procedure:
1. Use a knife to carefully remove the skin of the potato
2. Use a cork borer to get all 6 samples out of the potato
3. Weigh all of the samples to ensure that they have the same mass (g)
4. Take your test tubes and label each one with a marker with the concentration level that
will be in them
5. Go to your beakers that are already filled with the different sucrose concentrations and
fill each test tube accordingly with its assigned concentration
6. Take your 6 potato samples and place 1 in each test tube
7. Then place your test tubes somewhere in the room that the temperature will not always
change

Justification, Risk Assessment, and Ethical Considerations :

- The dependent variable, being a crucial aspect of the experiment, had to be measured
with precision and accuracy because all of the results that will come after the experiment
will show whether or not the dependent variable was efficiently measured. The method I
used to measure the dependent variable, in this case, the mass (g) of the potato samples
was through a sensitive weighing scale as it's the easiest and most efficient method to
measure the mass (g) of potato samples. This experiment is safe in all aspects of the
environment as it primarily involves the use of sucrose solutions and potato samples,
which aren’t harmful. However, there should always be caution to ensure a safe
environment, in case there is spillage of the sucrose solutions. There is no use of animals
within the experiment, therefore, the ethical aspect of animal experimentation policy or
data policy is cleared. Moreover, this lab uses harmless solutions and a few controlled
variables. There were no people or animals used in the experiment. Thus, it was safe to
perform and didn’t go against any ethical standards.

Qualitative Data :
(Nothing was heard since the experiment only involved the process of osmosis)
Sucrose See Smell Feel
Concentration
Solutions

0M Less Thickness and For every potato Potato Became Softer

gluey compared to sample there was a & Turgid: Water Loss
high-concentration harsh noticeable
ones smell due to the
multiple days the
 solutions stayed in
the room

0.2 M Less Thickness and Same as 0 M Potato Became Softer

gluey compared to & Turgid: Water Loss
high-concentration
ones

0.4 M Less Thickness and Same as 0 M Potato Became Softer

gluey compared to & Turgid: Water Loss
high-concentration
ones

0.6 M Thicker & Gluey Same as 0 M Potato Became Softer

No other particles & Turgid: Water Loss
were observed in the
potato

0.8 M Thicker & Gluey Same as 0 M Potato Became Softer

No other particles & Turgid: Water Loss
were observed in the
potato

1.0 M Thicker & Gluey Same as 0 M Potato Became Softer

No other particles & Turgid: Water Loss
were observed in the
potato

Quantitative Data :

Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Trial 5

Sucrose
Concentration Percent Percent Percent Percent Percent
Levels change in change in change in change in change in Standard
(Moles/liter) mass mass mass mass mass Average Deviation
0.0 M -9.166666667 24.59546926 3.647416413 73.04347826 13.95348837 21.21463713 31.55160037
0.2 M 3.606557377 1.58013544 8.761329305 19.32773109 9.523809524 8.559912547 6.895081547
-15.1412116
0.4 M -14.16666667 -14.5631068 -9.855072464 -38.33333333 1.212121212 1 14.44414427
-31.7460317 -29.7507544
0.6 M -30.16528926 5 -30.40752351 -42.24137931 -14.19354839 4 10.03277985
0.8 M -37.25490196 -46.0606060 -29.39393939 -39.83050847 -21.08262108 -34.7245153 9.688876277
 6 9
-42.9688143
1.0 M -38.8185654 -49.21875 -39.66244726 -56.25 -30.89430894 2 9.866634411

Data Processing :
Sample calculations for Percent Change of Mass (final mass- Initial mass)/initial mass*100:
- Percent change for Trial 1 (Sucrose Concentration, 0.0M):
- (2.18 - 2.4)/ 2.4= -0.09166667 x 100= -9.166666667
Sample calculations for Average (percent change in mass trial 1+ trial 2+trial 3+ trial 4+
trial 5)/5:
- Average for Sucrose Concentration 0.0 M:
- -9.16666666667+ 24.5954692557 + 3.64741641337 + 73.0434782609 +
13.9534883721= 106.073185635/5 = 21.21463713
Sample calculations for Standard Deviation:
- For Standard Deviation calculations I used a calculator and used the following formula to
guide my calculations:

Graph :
Conclusion :
- The hypothesis stated that if the level of concentration of sucrose in the solution
increases, then the mass of the potato samples will decrease. The hypothesis was
supported by collected data throughout the experiment. The data collected during the
experiment shows how sucrose concentration has a great impact on the mass of the potato
samples. As shown in the graph, when a 0.0 sucrose concentration interacts with the
potato sample there isn’t much of a difference in the mass of the potato sample, however,
when a 1 M sucrose solution reacts with the potato sample we could see a significant
change between the two concentrations. The initial mass of the potato samples being 2.4
grams, and the final mass when applied to a 0 M sucrose solution resulted in a slight
change to 2.18, however, with a 1 M sucrose solution the mass changed to 1.45. These
results align with the process of osmosis, where water moves from an area of low
concentration to an area of high concentration, which affects the water content of the
potato cells. The decrease of the mass of the potato samples in high concentrations causes
plasmolysis, however, when the potato samples react with low concentrations it causes an
increase in turgidity. In other related studies, such as a study led by Bennet-Clark,
Greenwood, and J.W. Barker about Water Relations and Osmotic Pressures of Plant
Cells, have also shown similar results involving osmosis in plant cells. Their research
shows how changes in solute concentration levels affect mass (g) in plant cells, in the
way that was shown in my conducted experiment.

Discussion :
- When the potato samples were placed into different sucrose concentrations, the percent
change of mass was much different in the 0 M concentration and the 0.2 sucrose
concentration, and as we went on increasing the amount of sucrose concentration, the
much lower the percent change in mass. In the second trial, the distilled water percentage
was about 23% and in the 0.2 sucrose solution, the percent change difference was about
23%. Most important was the recurrent difference between the percent change in mass of
the 0.2 and 0.4 sucrose solutions, which was strange because it would always drop about
14%, which is unusual since there is only a 0.2 difference between the two solutions.
Moreover, the standard deviations for the 5 concentrations being 31.55160037,
6.895081547, 14.44414427, 10.03277985, 9.688876277, and 9.866634411 respectively.
 The values of the standard deviation for all the concentrations were relatively close,
however, there would seem to be a significant difference between the distilled water
solution which would be an outlier because the difference in deviation is flagging.
However, the idea that we first interpreted having high sucrose concentrations impacting
the mass of the potato samples more than low sucrose concentrations proves how this
outlier is justified and the properties of osmosis demonstrate it. All in all, the data
acquired throughout the experiment support the trends observed and match with the
existing scientific knowledge and the peer-reviewed research by Bennet-Clark,
Greenwood, and J.W. Barker about Water Relations and Osmotic Pressures of Plant
Cells.

Evaluation :
- In this experiment, there were many strengths, weaknesses, and limitations which I was
unable to fully control. The strengths of this investigation were some of the controlled
variables and the independent variable because the independent variable, in this case, the
sucrose concentrations were carefully controlled as they were placed in a beaker and in a
safe area where there wouldn’t be any damage done to them. This helps ensure that the
dependent variable will not be affected by any external factors, but will fully react with
the sucrose concentrations. One of the controlled variables, which was the strength of this
investigation was the size of the potato, used to cut out the samples, because if the potato
was too small then there wouldn’t be enough samples, however, I was able to fully
control it allowing for a smooth experiment. Also, the size of the potato samples played a
major role in shaping this investigation in the right direction because if every sample had
a different size then the data acquired wouldn’t be accurate as some samples would have
more water content than others. Moreover, the experiment included many trials, which
helped with the reliability of the data acquired by reducing the impact of random
numbers. The weaknesses and limitations of this experiment were that there was a limited
sample size. The experiment used one potato for all the trials, which would be a
limitation to the experiment because there isn’t reliability towards the data collected
towards the end of the experiment. Using multiple potatoes of the same kind would help
with the reliability of the information that would be acquired at the end of the experiment.
Additionally, another limitation and weakness would be the temperature because the
samples were left in the room, next to the window, therefore, the samples might have
been in contact with the sun and the room temperature changed on multiple occasions
since the air conditioner would be on sometimes, which could affect the results. Also, the
samples were left in the room for 3 full days which, while I should’ve checked them the
day afterward. On the other hand, improvements that could have been made would be to
keep the samples in a room where the temperature has minimal changes and to use
different varieties of potatoes for each trial which would aid with the reliability of the
information collected. Furthermore, the investigation has raised questions about the
influence of temperature on the process of osmosis in potato samples. Investigating these
aspects would lead to a better understanding of the process of osmosis in plant cells, and
how it would be interpreted in real-world situations in the agricultural sector or aid with a
better knowledge of food preservation.