Estimating the Osmolarity of Plant Cells by Change in Weight and Volume of Solanum Tuberosum

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Estimating the osmolarity of plant cells by change in weight and volume of Solanum tuberosum Name:P.D.D.P.WICKRAMASINGHE Reg.No:UWU/SCT/12/0052 Index No:UWU/EX/12/0500 Estimating the osmolarity of plant cells by change in weight and volume of Solanum tuberosum P.D.D.P.Wickramasinghe, Uva Wellassa University, Badulla. Abstract: Osmosis is a vital mechanism occurring in living cells of organisms. It influences the distribution of water and nutrients within animal and plant cells. Osmosis is the movement of water molecules through a semi permeable membrane from a region of lower solute concentration to a region with higher solute concentration equalizing the concentrations of both sides. It was hypothesized that “The more hypertonic potato cores are to sucrose solution, more the weight and volume potato core gains. On the other hand potato cores will decrease in weight and volume when it is hypotonic to sucrose solution.” To test this hypothesis, Solanum tuberosum cores were incubated in sucrose solutions with various molarities for 45min and their volume and weight change percentages were taken. Results showed that potato cores in 0.0M-0.3M solutions have gained more weight and volume after incubation period while cores in 0.4M-0.6M solutions have decreased their weight and volume. Results showed that cells in 0.0M-0.3M were hypertonic to sucrose solutions and cells in 0.4M-0.6M were hypotonic to sucrose solutions, making the hypothesis made correct. Introduction: “Osmosis is the passage of water molecules from a region of their high concentration to a region of their low concentration through a partially permeable membrane. It is best regarded as a form of diffusion in which only water molecules move.” (Green et.al Biological Science) In animals, osmosis influences the distribution of nutrients and the release of metabolic waste

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