Diffusion in Different Environments Lab

Andrew Allen
Honors Biology Period 5
Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic High School
April 30, 2018
 Diffusion in Different Environments Lab 2

Introduction

Passive transport is the simplest type of cell transport. It moves substances across a

membrane without using expending any energy. This moves substances down the concentration

gradient, or in other words, from high concentration to low concentration. This can be done

either through a channel or carrier protein, or straight through the membrane. (Khan Academy,

n.d.)

Selective permeability is a key property of the plasma membrane. This allows some

substances to pass through the membrane, while others are not. The structure of the membrane

determines which substances are allowed in and out of the cell. (McGraw-Hill, 2012)

Osmosis is the diffusion of water across a selectively permeable membrane. (Britannica,

1998) Cells must regulate water in order to maintain homeostasis. Osmosis will help the cell

reach dynamic equilibrium by making the solute concentration the same on both sides of a

membrane. (McGraw-Hill 2012) There are three types of osmotic solutions. An isotonic solution

has the same concentration of solute and water. Water still moves across the membrane, but it

enters and exits at the same rate. There is no net movement of water and thus it is at an

equilibrium. (McGraw-Hill, 2012) A hypotonic solution has a lower concentration of solute and

therefore a higher amount of water outside the cell than inside. The net movement of water is

into the cell. As more water enters the cell, the osmotic pressure builds and in an animal cell,

this could cause the cell to burst. A plant cell has a cell wall which prevents this burst, but water

entering the plant cell still builds pressure. (McGraw-Hill, 2012) A hypertonic solution is when

there is a higher concentration of solute outside of the cell than inside. This causes a net

movement of water outside the cell. This causes animal cells to shrivel because of decreased
 Diffusion in Different Environments Lab 3

pressure. Loss of water resulting from a hypertonic solution in a plant cell will cause wilting.

(McGraw-Hill, 2012)

There are different real-world applications that make it important to understand osmosis.

One example is cytolysis. Cytolysis is when a cell bursts due to excess water. This can occur

when a person drinks too much water in a short period of time. A person armed with knowledge

of the concept of osmosis can avoid this. Another real-world application of osmosis is when

water is sprayed on vegetables in a grocery store. Doing this places the cells in a hypotonic

environment, and the osmotic pressure makes the vegetables look fresher. (McGraw-Hill, 2012)

Dialysis tubing is an artificial selectively permeable membrane commonly used for

scientific research. In this case, its purpose is to be an artificial cell membrane.

One purpose of Part 1 of the lab is to see how the rate of osmosis differs based on

proximity to equilibrium. In other words, does osmosis slow down or speed up as the cell inches

closer to equilibrium? Another purpose is to see how the rate of osmosis differs under different

concentration gradients. A purpose of Part 2 is to see in which situations the cell is permeable.

In part 1, beaker 1 (water in water) represents a simulated cell in an isotonic environment.

Beaker 2 (20% in water) represents a simulated cell in a hypotonic environment. Beaker 3 (40%

in water) represents a simulated cell in a hypotonic environment. Beaker 4 (60% in water)

represents a simulated cell in a hypotonic environment. Beaker 5 (water in 60%) represents a

simulated cell in a hypertonic environment. Beaker 6 (80% in 60%) represents a simulated cell

in a hypotonic environment. In part 2, beaker 1 had solution inside of the dialysis bag. Beaker 2

had solution in the beaker, outside of the dialysis bag.

 Diffusion in Different Environments Lab 4

In part 1, the independent variable is the osmotic solution, and the dependent variable is

the mass change.

In part 2, the independent variable is the location of the starch, and the dependent

variable is the color change.

Constants in part 1 included the starting amount of 5 ml of water in the bag, the starting

amount of 200 ml of water in the beaker, the amount of time left in the water for each trial, the

method of folding and tying the dialysis tubing, and the drying of the tubing before

measurement.

The control group in part 1 was the water in water, and 20% in water, 40% in water, 60%

in water, water in 60%, and 80% in 60% were experimental groups.

Constants in part 2 were the method of folding of tubing, the 1 teaspoon of starch in each

tube, each beaker being half full of water, and each beaker having 8 drops of iodine.

There was no control group in part 2, and the experimental group was the simulated cell

In part 1, if the cell is placed in a hypotonic environment, then it will gain mass, whereas

if it is placed in a hypertonic environment, then it will gain mass.

In part 2, if the membrane allows iodine into the cell with starch in it, then the water will

turn blue.

Materials

• 6 beakers

• 20% glucose solution

 Diffusion in Different Environments Lab 5

• 40% glucose solution

• 60% glucose solution

• 80% glucose solution

• Dialysis tubing

• Scale

• String

• Timer

• Pipette

• Iodine and starch

• Graduated cylinders

Procedures

Part 1

1. Take 5 water-soaked pieces of dialysis tubing and fold one end of the tubing over 1 cm

from the end and tie a knot around the end with string. Tie more knots to ensure no

leakage occurs and remove excess string.

2. Fill bag 1 with 5 ml of water, bag 2 with 5 ml of 20% starch solution, bag 3 with 5 ml of

40% solution, bag 4 with 5 ml of 60% starch solution, bag 5 with 5 ml of water, and bag

6 with 80% starch solution.

3. Fold the bags closed and tie the open end. Remove excess string. Place each bag on a

paper towel labeled with its respective number.

4. Using a scale, measure each bag and record their mass

5. Place bags 1, 2, 3, and 4 in water. Place bags 5 and 6 in 60% starch solution.
 Diffusion in Different Environments Lab 6

6. Remove the bags after 3 minutes, dry them off, and weigh them. Put them back at the

same time and repeat after 6 minutes and 9 minutes.

Procedure information found in Diffusion Through Cell Membranes Packet

Part 2

1. Fold one end of the tubing shut, tie it, and remove excess string.

2. Add 1 teaspoon of starch solution and fold the other end shut, tie it, and remove excess

string.

3. Rinse the cell with water and dry it.

4. Fill the beaker with 200 mL of water, and add 8 drops of iodine, then insert the cell into

the water. Note the color of the cell and the beaker

5. Remove after 15 minutes

6. Note the color of the beaker and the cell.

Procedure information found in Diffusion Through Cell Membranes Packet

Results

Part 1:

The water in water gained 208 mg after 3 minutes, it gained 83 mg after 6 mg and was at 291 mg

total. It lost 42 mg of mass after 9 minutes. 20% in water had an initial mass gain of 317 mg

after 3 minutes, followed by a gain of 217 mg, to reach 534 mg total at 6 minutes. It gained 167

mg by 9 minutes for a final mass of 701 mg. 40% in water gained 408 mg in the first 3 minutes,

gained 392 mg after 6 minutes for a total of 800 mg, and gained 308 mg after 9 minutes for a

final change of 1,108 mg. 60% in water added 567 mg after 3 minutes, gained 442 mg after 6
 Diffusion in Different Environments Lab 7

minutes for a total of 1,009 mg, and finished with a gain of 400 mg after 9 minutes and a final

total change of 1,409 mg. Water in 60% lost 150 mg after 3 minutes, lost another 383 mg after 6

minutes, and finished with a 250 mg loss after 9 minutes for a net 783 mg loss. 80% in 60%

gained 241 mg after 3 minutes, gained 75 mg after 6 minutes for a total of 316 mg, and gained 83

mg after 9 minutes for a total gain of 399 mg. The table and graph pictured below display these

results with time on the x-axis and mass on the y-axis.

Table 1: Changes in Mass in Different Osmotic Solutions

Time Water in 20 % in 40% in 60% in Water in 80% in

Water Water Water Water 60% 60%
0 minutes 0 mg 0 mg 0 mg 0 mg 0 mg 0 mg
3 minutes 208 mg 317 mg 408 mg 567 mg -150 mg 241 mg
6 minutes 291 mg 534 mg 800 mg 1009 mg -533 mg 316 mg
9 minutes 249 mg 701 mg 1108 mg 1409 mg -783 mg 399 mg

Table 1 contains the change of mass in the simulated cells after a certain period of time. Each
cell starts at 0, as the mass has not yet changed, and then the difference is measured after each 3-
minute interval. These results are the averages of several trials, that were kept consistent through
the use of the same procedure, materials, and measurements.
 Diffusion in Different Environments Lab 8

Change in Mass vs Time

2000

1500

Water in Water
Change in Mass (mg)

1000
20% in water

500 40% in Water

60% in Water
0
Water in 60%
0 3 6 9
80% in 60%
-500

-1000
Time (Minutes)

Figure 1: Mass change of simulated cells over time

On the X axis, the graph shows the passage of time in 3-minute intervals, as the mass of the
simulated cell was measured every three minutes. The Y-axis displays the total change of mass
of that cell in milligrams, as each cell starts at 0, and the resulting mass numbers indicate the
change from 0.

Part 2:

At the start, the water in the beaker was yellow and the inside of the bag was white, but after 15

minutes, the inside of the bag was blue, while the beaker remained unchanged.

Discussion

The bags in hypotonic environments gained weight, while the bag in a hypertonic

environment lost weight. The bag in an isotonic environment gained weight simply because
 Diffusion in Different Environments Lab 9

water is always moving, but this bag would have gone back to its initial weight had the lab been

longer.

As simulated cells become closer to equilibrium, the rate of osmosis decreases. This is

because there is less and less of a difference between the concentration of water inside and

outside of the cell therefore decreasing the rate of osmosis.

The higher the concentration gradient, the higher the rate of osmosis is. Lower

concentration gradients produce lower rates of osmosis.

The 80/60 simulated cell gained less weight than the 20/0 simulated cell because there

was a less water overall in the cell. Although the concentration gradient was the same, there was

less water within the 60% solution available to move into the 80%, because there was 500 mL of

both, but in 20/0 it was 500 mL of pure water, not 500 mL of starch mixed with water.

The inside of the simulated cell turned blue because the iodine was able to diffuse

through the cell membrane and enter the simulated cell, turning the starch within the cell blue.

The dialysis tubing was permeable to the iodine, however it was not permeable to the

starch, as the beaker did not turn blue. Had the starch been able to leave the tubing, the beaker

would have been blue as well.

The biggest source of error was not leaving the cells in the beakers long enough to reach

equilibrium. Another source of error was inconsistent knots, simply due to the difference in skill

among different people within each trial. A third source of error was the string or ribbon used to

tie the knots absorbing water, therefore adding mass that was not actually within the simulated

cell. A final source of error was rushing the lab, therefore possibly being inconsistent with the

timing of placing the bags in the beakers and taking them out.
 Diffusion in Different Environments Lab 10

References

Britannica, E. o. (1998, July 20). Osmosis. Retrieved from Britannica:

https://www.britannica.com/science/osmosis
Khan Academy. (n.d.). Diffusion and Passive Transport. Retrieved from KhanAcademy:
https://www.khanacademy.org/science/biology/membranes-and-transport/passive-
transport/a/diffusion-and-passive-transport
McGraw-Hill. (2012). Glencoe Science: Biology. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies Inc.