Setting Up Your Dilution Series
You'll be creating different sucrose concentrations to test osmosis in potato tissue. Think of it like making squash - you start with the strongest solution and add water to make weaker ones.
The key formula here is M₁V₁ = M₂V₂, which helps you work out exactly how much concentrated solution you need. For example, to make 20cm³ of 0.2M solution from 1.0M stock, you'd need 4cm³ of the concentrated stuff plus 16cm³ of distilled water.
Your independent variable is the sucrose concentration (what you're changing), whilst the dependent variable is the mass change of the potato (what you're measuring). Everything else - temperature, time, potato type - stays constant as controlled variables.
Top Tip: Label your test tubes clearly with concentrations (0M, 0.2M, 0.4M, 0.6M, 0.8M, 1.0M) before you start - trust me, it gets confusing quickly!
