1. What is the effect of solutions with different concentrations of sucrose (sugar) on the rate of osmosis in Russet potatoes (Solanum tuberosum)?

2. Experimental Design:
Independent Variable:
Dependent Variable:

3. Independent Variable:
Experimental Design:
Independent Variable:
The independent variable is the concentration of sucrose present in different solutions. The five treatments that will be used are 0.0M, 0.2M, 0.4M, 0.6M, 0.8M, and 1.0M solutions of sucrose.
Dependent Variable:
The dependent variable is rate of osmosis in potato cores. This will be measured by calculating the percent change in weight for each potato core.

4. Hypotheses:
Personal:
Null Hypothesis:
Alternative Hypothesis

5. Alternative Hypothesis
Hypotheses:
Personal:
Null Hypothesis:
H0: concentration of sucrose solution does not have an effect on the rate of osmosis in the potato cores ; there will be no difference in percent change in weight between treatments.
Alternative Hypothesis
H1: concentration of sucrose solution does have an effect on the rate of osmosis in potato cores ; there will be a difference in percent change in weight between treatments.

6. Results: Raw Data
Table 1:

7. Results: Processed Data
Table 2:
Sucrose Solution Concentration
0.0M
0.2M
0.4M
0.6M
0.8M
1.0M

8. Results – Processed Data Figure 1:

9. Conclusion:
Do different concentrations of sucrose solution have an effect on the rate of osmosis in potatoes?
What patterns are evident in the data?
What do the standard deviations tell you about the data? How confidently can we make conclusions?
Which solution is isotonic to the actual sucrose concentration in potatoes?
Which solution(s) are hypotonic to the potatoes?
Which solution(s) are hypertonic to the potatoes?
Which treatment most likely caused the potato cells to become “lysed”?

10. Evaluation:
Where, or what are possible sources of error in terms of precision and accuracy of data collection?
Was enough data collected? Would repeated trials and/or replicates be useful?
Could any other factors be controlled, or be controlled more effectively?