Lab Report: Water Potential of Plant

Tissues
Aim:
To explore the water potentials of different plant tissues in
different amounts of sucrose concentrations to deepen our
understanding of osmosis.
Results:
Raw Data
Concentrati
on/ mol/L
length
before / cm
0.05
length
after / cm
0.05
mass before
/ g 0.01
mass after /
g 0.01

0.00

0.20

0.40

0.60

0.80

5.00

5.00

5.00

5.00

5.00

4.93

5.02

4.94

5.09

4.90

4.30

3.80

3.10

4.00

4.20

2.70

2.40

2.00

3.00

2.80

Table 1: Personal Results of Apple Before and After

Submersion in Sucrose Solutions
Observations:
Very hard to cut the apples slices equally and make
them the same size. Apple was very delicate, multiple
times a piece would be broken off, so very hard to get the
exact same size and length for each apple slice. Apple
slice also had different widths, could cause they difference
in mass. While setting on the desk, the apple lost water
and juice. When added the apples to sucrose solutions,
apple slices floated. Apples added into the sucrose
solutions at different times and different amounts of
sucrose solution, which could cause a difference in results.
After submersion in different concentrations, some
apples slices were very brown and fragile like in 0.0
concentrations, and the more the increase of
concentration the more the apple became more rigid and
green like in concentration 1.0. When apples lay out on
paper towel, lost liquid while setting. Liquid inside of tube

felt more liquid and clearer in the higher concentrations

then the lower ones.
When added methylene blue, from
concentrations 0.0-0.6, it went to the top, at 0.8 stayed in
the middle of the test tube, and finally at 1.0 it went to the
bottom. Little current caused when putting needle inside
solution to add in methylene blue and when taken out of
test tube.
Processed Data

Concentrati
on/ mol/L
0.00
0.20
0.40
0.60
0.80
1.00

length
before/
cm
0.05
5.00
5.00
5.00
5.00
5.00
5.00

length
Difference in
Differ
after/
mass
mass
cm
before/ after/
mass / g
length
0.05
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.05
4.93
4.30
2.70
-1.60
5.02
3.80
2.40
-1.40
4.94
3.10
2.00
-1.10
5.09
4.00
3.00
-1.00
4.90
4.20
2.80
-1.40
4.90
4.40
2.90
-1.50

Table 2: Personal Results of Apple Before and After

Submersion in Sucrose Solutions with Difference in Mass
and Length
Calculations: Difference in mass= mass before-mass after
Difference in length= length before-length
after
Table 3: Personal Results of Percentage Change of Length
and Mass of Apple After Submersion in Sucrose Solutions
% change of
% change
mass
length
-37.21%
-1.40%
-36.84%
0.40%
-35.48%
-1.20%
-25.00%
1.80%
-33.33%
-2.00%
-34.09%
-2.00%

Calculations: % Change of mass=Difference in mass/mass

before
% Change of length=Difference in length/
length before

Graph 1: Personal Results

Concentration
/ mol/L
0.00
0.20
0.40
0.60
0.80
1.00

length after mass

mass
difference
length
/
cm

after/
g

length / cm
difference in
before / cm
before / g
0.05
0.05
0.01
0.01
mass / g 0.01 0.05
0.42
5.00
5.15
4.54
4.96
0.73
5.00
4.90
4.12
4.85
1.31
5.00
5.20
3.75
5.06
1.63
5.00
5.10
3.57
5.20
1.06
5.00
5.10
4.10
5.16
1.30
5.00
4.27
3.60
4.90

Percentage Change of an Apple's Mass and Length in Different Sugar Solutions

5.00%
0.00%
0.00R = 0.06
0.50
-5.00%

1.00

1.50

-10.00%
Percentage Change

% change of mass
Linear (% change of mass)

-15.00%

% change length

-20.00%

Linear (% change length)

-25.00%
-30.00%
-35.00%

R = 0.19

-40.00%
Concentration of Sugar in Solution mol/L

Table 4: Results of Other Group of Apple Before and After

Submersion in Sucrose Solutions
Table 5: Other Group of Percentage Change of Length and
Mass of Apple After Submersion in Sucrose Solutions
% change % change
of mass
of length

9.25%
17.72%
34.93%
45.66%
25.85%
36.11%

3.00%
-2.00%
4.00%
2.00%
2.00%
-14.60%

Graph 2: Other Group Results

Percentage Change of an Apple's Mass and Length in Different Sugar Solutions

50.00%
40.00%

R = 0.46

30.00%
20.00%
Percentage Change
10.00%

% change of mass
Linear (% change of mass)
% change of length
Linear (% change of
length)

0.00% R = 0.35
0.000.501.001.50
-10.00%
-20.00%
Concentration of Sugar in Solution mol/L

Observations: There is a huge difference between personal

results and those of other Groups results. Personal results
mass and length seems to have decreased compare to the
other group it increased mostly. There isnt as a dramatic
percentage change from others results compare to
personal results where the range is in the -35%. Lastly,
percentage change in mass increases (in the positive
region) in results for other and for personal results, the
percentage change increases in the negative region, so
gets closer to zero.
Conclusion:
As we look at the results presented, there is a very
wide range of results. On concentrating on personal
results in table 2, the length seemed to have decreased if
we rule out the outliers (shown as bumps on graph 1 and
2), like in concentration 1.0, -0.10. Secondly, the mass

seems to have shrunk -1.6 at 0.0 concentration, but starts

to slowly increase to -1.5 in 1.0 concentration. This is
somewhat similar to others results but, the mass started
by increasing at 0.0 concentration getting a difference in
mass of 0.42 (table 4) and increases to 1.3 in 1.0
concentration (with a few unexplainable bumps). This
could be explained that since there was a higher
concentration of water inside the cell, than inside the
sucrose solution, water molecules transferred to the cell
causing an increase in mass. This increase in mass can be
shown in both graphs (1 and 2) represented by percentage
change of mass. This is also known as osmosis. So, we
can conclude that with an increase of concentration, the
mass and percentage change of mass will increase as well.
Though, this conclusion was somewhat difficult with the
difference between personal results and others by the
difference in trends. others starts out positive, where as
the personal results start out negative, hence a major
source of error in experiment. This quite surprised me
because I was expecting results looking more like others
than my own, so my results in a way refute the idea that
with increasing concentration the mass increases as well
by starting in the negative region.
Secondly, if we look at the results of Methylene Blue,
in concentrations 0.0-0.6 it rose to the top showing the
solution where the sticks were soaking has become denser
meaning a loss of water causing it to loose its fluidity.
Then, for concentration 0.8, the drop didnt move, it
stayed in the middle showing that the density did not
change hence an isotonic solution. Lastly at 1.0, the drop
sank to the bottom showing that the solution that the
apples were soaked in became less dense. This is caused
maybe by the limit of absorption of water of the cell or
that the solution became more concentrated than the cell
itself.
To conclude, it seems the higher the concentration
the higher the water potential within a cell becomes which
is somewhat confirmed by the methylene blue, the
percentage change in mass, and in length.
Evaluation:

One major source of error in this experiment is the

inaccuracy in measuring the slices of fruit or vegetable, by
human eye error. Not every single slice could be cut to the
length of 5cm, and have the same width as the others and
so could severely affect the results, which is seen in the
experiment with the multiple unexplainable bumps and
hard to deduce when osmosis is happening. Since the
apple slices were very fragile, they kept on breaking or
crumbling, causing another problem for all slices to be
uniform. To improve this error, we could have more
accurate equipment, like a mechanical machine that cuts
accurate slices length and width wise and tells us the
exact measurements. In addition, there couldve been
leftover water or juice on the balance causing an
inaccuracy in mass of apple slices or the balance wasnt
set back to 0.0g. To improve this error, make sure the
balance is cleaned and set to 0.0g before measuring.
Secondly, the temperature in the room wasnt
controlled, and the level of osmosis can change depending
on the atmosphere around it. Some solutions couldve
been in warmer conditions causing an increase in level of
osmosis. To improve this error, we should keep all the
solutions in a controlled environment with a set
temperature so no inaccuracy will produce.
Lastly, some slices of apple were in solutions longer
than others causing an extra amount of time for osmosis
to happen. While others were inside the sugar solution,
others were laying on paper towels loosing liquid causing
a difference in mass. To improve this error, all apple slices
should be taken out at the same time and set on a surface
that does not absorb liquid, like on glass, for a better
chance in retaining the liquid that wouldve been lost
otherwise.