rp3: effects of osmosis on plant tissue

• p1

  1. peel potato
  2. use a cork borer to produce 3 cylinders of potato - makes them same diameter
  3. use a scalpel to trim the cylinders to the same length
  4. measure the length of each cylinder using a ruler
  5. measure the mass of each cylinder using a balance
  6. place each cylinder into a test tube
• p2

  1. add 10 cm3 of a 0.5 molar sugar solution to the first test tube
  2. add 10cm3 of a 0.25 molar sugar solution to the 2nd test tube
  3. add 10cm3 distilled water to the 3rd test tube
  4. leave potatoes overnight
  5. remove potatoes & dry them with a paper towel
  6. measure length & mass of each potato again
  7. calculate percentage change in length & mass
• why does the potato need to be dryed?

  to make sure only the potato mass was measured