Setting Up Your Osmosis Experiment
You'll be investigating osmosis - the movement of water molecules from areas of high concentration to low concentration through a semi-permeable membrane. Think of it like water always trying to balance itself out on both sides of a barrier.
Start by cutting five identical potato cylinders using a cork borer, then trim the ends so they're all exactly the same length. Weigh each cylinder carefully - accuracy matters here! You'll need five different concentrations of sugar solution in separate test tubes, from pure water (0.0 mol/dm³) to a strong sugar solution (1.0 mol/dm³).
Pop one potato cylinder into each tube and leave them for the same amount of time. When you remove them, blot them dry before weighing - any surface water will mess up your results.
Top Tip: Keep your potato cylinders the same size and timing consistent - small changes can throw off your entire experiment!
