Shipwrecked Sailor Lab
Riley Walker
Introduction
Osmosis: a kind of diffusion that involves water. It's where the greater
concentration of water moves to the lower concentration of water. When the
lower concentration is on the inside of something ( say a bean) and the
greater concentration of water is on the outside, then the greater
concentration will move into the bean causing it to swell. When the greater
concentration of water is inside the bean, lower concentration of water is on
the outside, so the greater concentration moves out of the bean causing it to
shrink. When the inside and outside have the same amount of concentration
then the bean will stay the same. This can happen for anything. The salt
particles that will be in the water will take up space, causing there to be a
lower concentration of water than the animal cell ( potato, or the sailor). Salt
particles will take up space in the water making it have a lower concentration
of water. Therefore causing the greater concentration of water inside the
animal cell (potato, or sailor) to move out of the cell. In the end this
movement will shrink the animal cell. Water is such a crucial thing. Without it
the body cannot function. Cells make tissues make organs make body
systems make the body. When cells don't have water then everything else
fails, which kills the person. So when water cannot get to the body things go
awry. Why do you think drinking seawater killed the sailor faster than not
drinking any water at all?
Hypothesis
If the salt concentration increases then the mass of the potatoes will
decrease, because the greater concentration inside the potato will move out
to the lower concentration of water outside of the potato.
Materials
Triple Beam Balance
4 potato slices
Water
Salt solutions ( I stated what they were earlier in introduction)
Cups
Metric ruler
Stirrer
Salt Concentration:
Solution A: No salt solution
Solution B: 1gm of salt per 50ml
Solution C: 2.5gm of salt per 50ml
Solution D: 5gm of salt per 50ml
Procedure
1. Measure and record the mass of each potato on the Triple Beam
Balance
2. On each of the 4 cups write your class block, table number, and the
solution you will have (A,B,C,D)
3. Fill graduated cylinder to 50ml line with liquid A(no salt) and pour into
cup 1 or the one labeled A
4. Repeat step 3 but with liquid 2/B (1gm of salt
5. Repeat step 3 but with liquid 3/C (2.5gm of salt)
6. Repeat step 3 but with liquid 4/D (5gm of salt)
7. Place each potato into the correct cup.
Data and analysis
See extra paper too.
All of the potatoes changed in some way or another. But the ones that were
placed into salt water solutions changed color and blackened because there
was a chemical reaction as well. The iodine in the salt reacted to the starch
in the potato, turning it black. But the main change was the mass of the
potatoes. Potato A gained mass because it was in water with no salt that had
a greater concentration than the potato. But the other potatoes lost mass
because the greater concentration of water in the potatoes moved out into
the lesser concentration of water and salt. Potato A: Will swell because the
water on the outside of the potato has a higher concentration of water than
inside the potato.
Potato D: Will shrink because the salt will cause the water around the potato
to have a lower concentration of water than inside the potato, causing the
greater concentration of water inside the potato to move out. Overall the
potatoes mass decreases except for potato A which gained mass because
the higher concentration was going into the potato.
Concentrat Beginning Ending Change in Observatio % change
ion of salt weight of weight of weight + ns of
in % potato in potato in or in potato
grams grams grams after
experimen
t
Cup 1- 8.3 gm 8.9gm +.6gm Looks 7%
solution A same
No salt Feels
same
Cup 2- 6.9 gm 4.9gm -2 gm Black -29%
solution B around
1gm of salt edges
per 50 ml Slimy
Cup 3 8gm 6gm -2gm Almost -25%
solution C totally
2.5 gm of black
salt per Squishy
50ml
Cup 4- 5.1gm 3.9gm -1.2gm Partially -24%
solution D black and
5gm of salt very
per 50ml mushy
Conclusion
The sailor dies because of dehydration by drinking the salt water. There was
no water coming into her body only leaving it. Like the potato, the sailors
body must have shrunk and smudgy due to the lack of water she had. When
the sailor had no water at all she was loosing water slowly, but when she
drank the salt water she began to loose water at a very fast rate. The reason
behind her fast death is osmosis. It is where greater concentration of water
moves to a lower concentration of water. The salt in the water took up space
causing there to be a lower concentration of water in the solution. So the
water she drank had a lower concentration of water than what was inside
her. So automatically the water inside her, with a higher concentration,
moved out to the lower concentration of the salt water. A human person is
70% water, so when the water is moved out they body and organs will shrink
and shrivel. Each cell has water and when some moves out the cell will
shrink. Making tissues ( which are made of cells) shrivel, therefore making
organs and body systems to shrink and malfunction. This killing the person.
So while no water water at all would have killed the sailor, drinking the salt
water made the process faster. The salt water took any water she had left in
her body, because of osmosis. The hypothesis the was made was backed up
by the data and evidence that was found. It was said that potatoes B, C, and
D would decrease in mass. In the end they did loose mass like it was
believed they would. In the data table it is very clear that the potatoes lost
mass, well all but potato A. That is because potato A was put in to plain
water with no salt, so the greater concentration was outside the potato and
therefore went inside the potato which had a lesser concentration. Potato A
was the only one that gained mass. Here is a diagram of what cup A and cup
Ds net movement of water.
On a cellular level osmosis happened. In the cups with salt solutions the salt
took up space, causing the water to have a lesser concentration of water
because it is so filled with salt. And in potato ( 5 gm of salt per 50ml) it has
an even lower concentration of water. Remember osmosis is when the
greater concentration of water moves to the lower concentration of water. So
the greater concentration was I inside the potato ( or also the sailor) so it
moved out to lower concentration of water around it. When this happens the
potato or sailor looses all of its water, causing their cells to shrivel and die. In
the end breaking down what's left of the potato or sailor.