1 Simulated Cell Effected by Osmosis Lab

Simulated Cell Effected by Osmosis Lab

Ryan Augustine
Honors Biology Period 4
Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic High School
April 30, 2018
 2 Simulated Cell Effected by Osmosis Lab

Introduction

Passive transport is the movement of a substance or substances across the cell membrane without

requiring any energy or ATP from the cell. The cell membrane is the structure that decided what

is allowed to come in or go out of the cell, this means that the cell membrane is selectively

permeable. Even though the cell membrane is selectively permeable it allows water pass through

itself because of aquaporins that always stay open for water (Biggs and others, 2012). This

allows osmosis, which is the movement of water across a cell membrane from high concentration

to low concentration, to occur easily. Another type of osmotic environment a cell could be in is a

Hypotonic environment, which is when a cell has a concentration of high water on the outside of

the cell and water is rushing into the cell. The other osmotic environment a cell could be in is a

Hypertonic environment, which is when a cell has a high concentration of water inside of it and

water is rushing out of the cell (Biggs and others, 2012). When a human drink a lot of water their

cells are put into a Hypotonic environment, if the person continues to drink and drink their cells

could eventually burst. This is why it is important to understand osmosis and how it effects the

human body. Dialysis tubing is selectively permeable, but allows water to pass through it,

making it a good simulated cell membrane in the lab. The purpose for the first lab was to observe

how the dialysis tubing, cell membrane, reacts in different types of osmotic environments and to

determine how different concentration gradients effect the rate of osmosis. The purpose for the

second part of the lab was test what else the dialysis tubing is permeable to (Biggs and others,

2012). The setup for the first part of the lab was 6 beakers, four were filled with water and the

other two were filled with a 60% solution (All “solutions” are glucose solutions). Then dialysis
 3 Simulated Cell Effected by Osmosis Lab

tubing was filled with 20% solution, 40% solution, 60% solution, and 80 % solution, and two

were filled with water. Once the dialysis tubing was filled they were all weighed separately; then

placed into their corresponding beaker beakers. The dialysis tubing filled with water in the

beaker full of water was in an isotonic environment, the dialysis tubing filled 20% solution was

placed in water and was in a hypotonic environment, the dialysis tubing filled the 40% solution

was placed in water and was in a hypotonic environment, the dialysis tubing filled with the 60%

solution was placed in water and was in a hypotonic environment, the second dialysis tubing

filled with water was placed into the 60% solution and was in a hypertonic environment, and the

dialysis tubing filled with 80% solution was placed into a 60% solution and was in a hypotonic

environment (Biggs and others, 2012). The tubing sat in their beakers for 3 minutes, this was

repeated two more times. Then they were taken out, dried and weighed to see how their weight

changed compared to their first weight measurement. For the second part of the lab a beaker was

filled with water and 20 drops od iodine were put into the water. Then dialysis tubing was filled

with water and a half of a scoop of starch. The dialysis tubing was placed into the beaker and

after 24 hours the starch and the iodine would react together and form a bluish or purplish color.

Depending weather, the color is shown inside or outside of the dialysis tubing will show what the

dialysis tubing will let pass through (Biggs and others, 2012). For part one, the independent

variable was the different osmotic environments each of the dialysis tubing pieces were placed

into. The dependent variable was the change in the mass of the dialysis tubing. For part two, the

independent variable was the location of the starch, which was in the dialysis tubing. The

dependent variable was the change of color of the starch. The constants for part one was the

amount of solution put into each dialysis tubing, which was 5ml, the time amount of time each

dialysis tubing was in each beaker, the drying of the dialysis tubing, the amount of water or
 4 Simulated Cell Effected by Osmosis Lab

solution in each beaker, which was 200ml, and the way the dialysis tubing was tied. The

constants for part two were the 20 drops of iodine in the water, the amount of potato starch in a

dialysis tubing, the amount of water in the beaker, which was 200ml, the amount of water in the

dialysis tubing, which was 5ml, and how the dialysis tubing was tied. The control for part one

was the water in the water and the experimental groups were the water in 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%,

and 60% solution in the 80% solution (Biggs and others, 2012). The control for part two was the

initial set up of the dialysis tubing with starch in it inside of the water with 20 drops of iodine in

it; The starch inside of the dialysis tubing was still white and the water and iodine outside of the

dialysis tubing was yellow. The experimental group for part two was the clear water and dark

bluish purplish color inside of the dialysis tubing after 24 hours. Hypothesis for part one: If I

place dialysis tubing filled with water into a beaker also filled with water, then the mass of the

dialysis tubing will not change. If I place dialysis tubing filled with a 20% glucose solution into a

beaker filled with water, then the mass of the dialysis tubing will increase. If I place dialysis

tubing filled with a 40% glucose solution into a beaker filled with water, then the mass of the

dialysis tubing will increase. If I place dialysis tubing filled with a 60% glucose solution into a

beaker filled with water, then the mass of the dialysis tubing will increase. If I place dialysis

tubing filled with water into a beaker filled with a 60% glucose, then the mass of the dialysis

tubing will decrease. If I place dialysis tubing filled with a 80% glucose solution into a beaker

filled with a 60% glucose, then the mass of the dialysis tubing will decrease. Hypothesis for part

two: If we place dialysis tubing full of potato starch into a beaker full of water and iodine, then

the potato starch and the iodine will react inside of the dialysis tubing forming a dark blueish

purplish color inside of the dialysis tubing (Biggs and others, 2012).

Materials list:
 5 Simulated Cell Effected by Osmosis Lab

1. 6 beakers

2. 20% glucose solution

3. 40% glucose solution

4. 60% glucose solution

5. 80% glucose solution

6. Water

7. Paper towels

8. Dialysis tubing

9. String

10. Timer

11. A Scale

12. Pipets

13. Iodine

14. Starch

15. Graduated cylinders

16. Plastic spoons

17. Positivity and an encouraging attitude

Procedure

1. Get 6 pieces of dialysis tubing that were soaking in water. Fold one end down about 1cm

down, up to down, the dialysis tubing. Then fold the recently made fold across, left to

right. Then fold that same down one more time.

2. Once the dialysis tubing is folded three times on one end tie it shut using a tight and

sturdy knot.
 6 Simulated Cell Effected by Osmosis Lab

3. Opening the other end of the dialysis tubing with 5ml of the correct solution or water:

 2 dialysis tubing need to be filled with 5 ml of water.

 1 dialysis tubing needs to be filled with 5 ml 20% glucose solution.

 1 dialysis tubing needs to be filled with 5 ml 40% glucose solution.

 1 dialysis tubing needs to be filled with 5 ml 60% glucose solution.

 1 dialysis tubing needs to be filled with 5 ml 80% glucose solution

3. Once the dialysis tubing is filled repeat step the first two steps on the other sides of the

dialysis tubing to shut it properly.

4. Weigh each of the dialysis tubings and record their weight.

5. Get 5 beakers and fill each of them up with 200ml of water or solution:

 4 beakers filled with 200ml of water.

 1 beaker filled with a 60% glucose solution.

6. Get a timer and set it to go off at three-minute intervals.

7. Place the dialysis tubing into the beaker it needs to be in:

 1 dialysis tubing filled with water placed in a beaker filled with water.

 1 dialysis tubing filled with a 20% solution placed in a beaker filled with water.

 1 dialysis tubing filled with a 40% solution placed in a beaker filled with water.

 1 dialysis tubing filled with a 60% solution placed in a beaker filled with water.

 1 dialysis tubing filled with water placed in a beaker filled with 60% solution, in the same

beaker place another dialysis tubing filled with 80% solution.

8. After 3 minutes pull the dialysis tubing out, dry them off in a paper towel and then weigh

all them all individually, record the weight after each three-minute interval and write how

much it changed since the beginning.

 7 Simulated Cell Effected by Osmosis Lab

9. Then place the dialysis tubing back into the correct beakers.

10. Repeat steps 8 and 9 two more time, comparing the weight of each dialysis tubing to the

weight it was the last time it was pulled out of the water or solutions (Biggs and others,

2012).

Results

Table 1: Bag Mass vs. Time

Dialysis Dialysis Dialysis Dialysis Dialysis Dialysis

tubing 1 tubing 2 tubing 3 tubing 4 tubing 5 tubing 6
(Water in (20% (40% (60% (Water in (80%
water) Dialysis Dialysis Dialysis 60% Dialysis
tubing in tubing in tubing in solution) tubing in
water) water) water) 60%
solution)
Beginning 5.4g 4.9g 7.5g 6.3g 5.5g 6.5g
Mass (g)
Mass 5.7g 5.2g 8.1g 6.9g 5.2g 6.8g
After 3
minutes
(g)
Mass +0.3g +0.3g +0.6g +0.6g -0.3g +0.3g
change
from 0-3
minutes
(g)
Mass after 5.7g 5.5g 8.6g 7.5g 5g 6.9g
6 minutes
(g)
Mass +0.0g +0.3 +0.5g +0.6g -0.2g +0.1g
change
from 3-6
minutes
(g)
Mass after 5.6g 5.8g 8.9g 7.9g 4.6g 7g
9 minutes
(g)
 8 Simulated Cell Effected by Osmosis Lab

Mass -0.1g +0.3 +0.3g +0.4g -0.4g +0.1g

change
from 6-9
minutes
(g)
Table 1: This table shows the fluctuation of weight of the dialysis tubing across a period of nine

minutes, 3 separate three-minute intervals, and the rate of osmosis. This data is a class average

and the way this was obtained was by everyone writing down their raw data and adding it all up

for each section and dividing by however many data imputed there were.

The initial weight for each bag was: dialysis tubing 1 weighed 5.4g, dialysis tubing 2

weighed 4.9g, dialysis tubing 3 weighed 7.5g, dialysis tubing 4 weighed 6.3g, dialysis tubing 5

weighed 5.5g, dialysis tubing 6 weighed 6.5g. After leaving the dialysis tubing in the beakers for

3 minutes they were pulled out and weighed again: dialysis tubing 1 weighed 5.7g, dialysis

tubing 2 weighed 5.2g, dialysis tubing 3 weighed 8.1g, dialysis tubing 4 weighed 6.9g, dialysis

tubing 5 weighed 5.2g, dialysis tubing 6 weighed 6.8g. The mass changes for each dialysis

tubing from 0-3 minutes was; dialysis tubing 1 +0.3g, dialysis tubing 2 +0.3g, dialysis tubing 3

+0.6g, dialysis tubing 4 +0.6g, dialysis tubing 5 –0.3g, dialysis tubing 6 +0.3g. From 3-6 minutes

the dialysis tubing wight changed more: dialysis tubing 1 weighed 5.7g, dialysis tubing 2

weighed 5.5g, dialysis tubing 3 weighed 8.6g, dialysis tubing 4 weighed 7.5g, dialysis tubing 5

weighed 5g, dialysis tubing 6 weighed 6.9g. The change of mass from 3-6 minutes were: dialysis

tubing 1 +0g, dialysis tubing 2 +0.3g, dialysis tubing 3 +0.5g, dialysis tubing 4 +o.6g, dialysis

tubing 5 -0.2g, dialysis tubing 6 +0.1g. After the dialysis tubing were in the solutions from 6-9

minutes, a total of nine minutes, the mass changed again: dialysis tubing 1 weighed 5.6g, dialysis

tubing 2 weighed 5.8g, dialysis tubing 3 weighed 8.9g, dialysis tubing 4 weighed 7.9g, dialysis

tubing 5 weighed 4.6g, dialysis tubing 5 weighed 7g. The change of mass from 6-9 minutes
 9 Simulated Cell Effected by Osmosis Lab

were: dialysis tubing 1 -0.1g, dialysis tubing 2 +0.3g, dialysis tubing 3 +0.3g, dialysis tubing 4

+0.4g, dialysis tubing 5 -0.4g, dialysis tubing 6 +0.1g.

Figure 1: This graph shows the mass of the dialysis over time and the rate of osmosis.

Key: Yellow – dialysis tubing 6, Gray – dialysis tubing 4, Orange – dialysis tubing 3, Green –

dialysis tubing 2, Dark Blue – dialysis tubing 1, Light Blue – dialysis tubing 5. This graph was

made by using data that was a class average. The way this class average was obtained was by
 10 Simulated Cell Effected by Osmosis Lab

everyone writing down their raw data and adding it all up for each section and dividing by

however many data imputed there were.

At the beginning of the experiment the starch inside of the dialysis tubing was white and

the water and the 20 drops of iodine outside of the dialysis tubing, but inside of the beaker, was

yellow. At the end of the lab the starch inside of the dialysis tubing was a dark blueish purplish

color and the water in the beaker was clear.

Discussion

The dialysis tubing that gained mass were the ones in a hypotonic environment. The

reason these dialysis tubing pieces gained mass is because water is rushing into the dialysis

tubing because there was a higher concentration of water outside of the dialysis tubing than

inside. Th water rushed into the cell to try and reach equilibrium. The dialysis tubing’s mass in

an isotonic environment fluctuated but did not make a real change. The reason it fluctuated is

because water could pass through in and out of the dialysis tubing, so water was constantly

moving. The dialysis tubing in a hypertonic environment loss mass. The reason mass was lost in

this environment is because there is a higher concentration of water inside of the cell then outside

the cell. Water wants to be in equilibrium, so it moves out of the cell to try and reach

equilibrium. As a simulated cell gets closer to equilibrium the rate of osmosis decreases. When

there is a higher concentration gradient the rate of osmosis is slower compares to the rate of

osmosis in a lower concentration gradient. The reason the dialysis tubing with 80% solution in a

60% solution gained less mass than the dialysis tubing filled with 20% solution in water is

because the 80% in 60 % was a higher concentration gradient than the 20% in water. The inside

of the simulated cell turned a dark blueish purplish color because iodine was able to move

through the dialysis tubing and the starch was not. There for the iodine moved into the simulated
 11 Simulated Cell Effected by Osmosis Lab

cell and reacted with the starch there. This means that the dialysis tubing was also permeable to

iodine. Some sources of errors could have been the shortened period of time, wrong measuring,

not having the scale set to zero when weighing the dialysis tubing, mixing up the dialysis tubing

when pulling them out to weigh them, and leaving the dialysis tubing in the beakers for too long

or too short. If I could change one thing to make this lab better, I would put a label on each piece

of dialysis tubing so there is no was to mix them up when pulling them out and weighing them.

Work Cited

Biggs, A. a. (2012). Biology. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Eduction.