Cawangan Sarawak, Kampus Samarahan 2

EXPERIMENT 2: DIFFUSION AND OSMOSIS

BIO122 HISTOLOGY OF CELL AND TISSUE

Experiment title Diffusion and Osmosis

Experiment no. 2

Group AS1201F

No. Student Name Student ID

1 Carin Audryna David 2022897434
2 Erica Anak Adison 2022818498
3 Nur’Alia Shahira 2022600528
4 Lynee Titanny anak Albaro Kenidy 2022892418

Date of Submission 31 December 2022

Lecturer Name Madam Hanita Tambi

INTRODUCTION

The net movement of molecules from a location of high concentration to one of low
concentration is referred to as diffusion, which is a physical phenomenon. Diffusing
substances might be solids, liquids, or gases. Like this, any of the three physical states
could potentially be present in the medium where diffusion takes place. The movement
of molecules along the concentration gradient is one of the key features of diffusion. While
other molecules may help with this, high-energy molecules like adenosine triphosphate
(ATP) or guanosine triphosphate are not directly involved (GTP). Simple diffusion is just
the movement of molecules along their concentration gradient when no additional
molecules are directly involved. It may entail the movement of a particle over a membrane
or the dispersion of a substance through a medium. (Editors, 2019)

Osmosis is the net passage of water molecules through a membrane that is only
partially permeable. Because it moves downward, from greater to lower concentration, it
is comparable to diffusion. But in osmosis, the flow must pass through a membrane that
is semipermeable or selectively permeable. Osmosis cannot occur without this
component. Osmosis is about the net movement of the solvent molecules (not the solute),
whereas diffusion is frequently depicted as the net movement of solutes between two
solutions (solvent such as water molecules). The water must migrate to equalize the
concentrations of the two areas due to the different concentrations of water molecules on
the two sides of the membrane. To determine if a solution is isotonic, hypotonic, or
hypertonic in comparison to another solution, the constituent concentrations of the two
solutions must be compared. (Editors B. , 2022)

In this experiment, my group carried out an experiment concerning osmosis and

diffusion. The objective of this experiment is to be able to explain the process of simple
diffusion and explain the process of osmosis. How does the carmine dye move in water
to reach the equilibrium state? What will change if potatoes of the same sizes are put in
3 different solutions? Which solutions are isotonic, hypotonic, and hypertonic? The
carmine dye will spread out to a lower concentration in water. If there is a low
concentration area in water, then the carmine dye will move to that area to reach
equilibrium state. The length of the potato will decrease when soaked in a high
concentration of salt solution. If the salt concentration is increased, then the potato length
will decrease. The responding variable for diffusion experiment is the movement of
carmine dye under microscope respectively. For the osmosis experiment, the
manipulated variables and responding variables are the concentration of salt solution and
the length of potato.

MATERIALS AND APPARATUS

Glass slides, cover slips, toothpicks, carmine dye powder, light compound microscope,
distilled water, forceps, ruler, potato cylinders in containers of: 20% salt (NaCl) solution,
0.9% salt (NaCl), white tile, potato, 3 of 50ml beaker

PROCEDURE

A. DIFFUSION

1. Slides are obtained and two drops of water are placed onto it. The slides are
placed on the table.
2. A toothpick is stuck vertically down into the container of carmine dye powder
to a depth of about one-half inch.
3. The toothpick is held vertically over the drop of water on the slide. The
toothpick was taped gently to shake a light sprinkle of red dye onto the slide.
 4. The cover slip was placed onto the slide. The slide is placed down onto the
microscope and was observed under low light and high power.
5. The area of the red dye was examined carefully. The vibration motion of the
red dye is caused by the collision with one another.

B. OSMOSIS

1. Six pieces of potatoes are cut into 3-cm potato cylinders.

2. Two pieces of the potatoes are placed into beakers containing distilled water,
0.9% salt solution and 20% salt solution, respectively.
3. After one hour, by using forceps, the potato cylinders are taken out of each
beaker and are carefully measured with a ruler. The measurements are
recorded.
RESULTS

A. DIFFUSION

OBSERVATION

Diagram 1 shows the observation of the movement of red carmine dye under 40x
magnification.
 B. OSMOSIS

Initial Length Final Length Increment %

1 2 Mean 1 2 Mean in Length Increment
in Length
Distilled 2 2 2 2.10 2.20 2.15 0.15 7.5
Water
0.9% Salt 2 2 2 2 2 2 0 0
Solution
20% Salt 2 2 2 1.80 1.75 1.75 0.25 12.5
Solution

Table 1 shows the data collected for the osmosis procedure.

DISCUSSION

a) What is diffusion?
The movement of small molecules from an area of high concentration to low
concentration.

b) In your experiment, what causes the red powder granule (carmine dye) to move?
Simple diffusion. The random movement of water molecules and carmine dye
molecules from the region of higher concentration to the region of lower concentration.

c) Do the red powder granules stop moving at equilibrium?

No. The process of diffusion occurs continuously until the system achieves a dynamic
equilibrium. When it reached equilibrium, there is equal movement of red powder
granules molecules and water molecules because the concentration gradient no
longer exists. Both molecules are distributed evenly.

d) What are the factors that affect the rate of diffusion? Explain each of the factors.
1. Concentration gradient – the diffusion takes place quicker when there is greater
concentration gradient.
2. Membrane permeability – As the membrane permeability increases, the rate of
diffusion increases.
3. Temperature – When the temperature is higher, particles can diffuse quickly
across a membrane and gain more kinetic energy.

e) What is osmosis?
Is the net movement of water molecules from a region of high-water potential (low
concentration of solutes) to a region of low water potential (high concentration of
solutes) across a partially permeable membrane.
f) Which potato cylinder has increased in length?
Potato in distilled water.

g) Which potato cylinder has decreased in length?

Potato in 20% salt solution.

h) Identify which solution is hypertonic, isotonic, and hypotonic to the solute

concentration in the potato cells. Explain your answer.
20% salt solution is hypertonic to the solute concentration in the potato cells. Water
leaves the cells by osmosis. The final length of the potato decreases.
0.9 salt solution is isotonic to the solute concentration in the potato cells. The
concentration of the solution does not change the mass of the potato.
Distilled water is hypotonic to the solute concentration in the potato cells. Water enters
the potato cells by osmosis. Therefore, the final length of the potato increases.

CONCLUSIONS

Yes, the hypothesis is accepted for both diffusion and osmosis. For diffusion, the
movement of red carmine dye from an area of high concentration to low concentration.
For osmosis, the length of potato will decrease when soaked in a high concentration of
salt solution. When the high concentration of salt solution increases, the length of potato
decreases.
REFERENCES

Editors, B. (4 October, 2019). Diffusion. Retrieved from Biology Dictionary:

https://biologydictionary.net/diffusion/

Editors, B. (9 September, 2022). Osmosis. Retrieved from Biology Online:

https://www.biologyonline.com/dictionary/osmosis

Toppr. (5 September, 2022). What are the factors affecting the rate of diffusion?
Retrieved from Toppr answer: https://www.toppr.com/ask/en-my/question/what-
are-the-factors-affecting-the-rate-of-diffusion/