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Updated Mar 25, 2026
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Understanding Osmosis Practical: GCSE AQA Guide
P
Poppy
@poppy_s
Setting Up Your Osmosis Experiment
You'll be investigating how osmosis works by watching water move in and out of potato cells. Osmosis is simply the diffusion of water from a weak solution to a strong solution through a partially permeable membrane - think of it as water trying to balance things out.
Your independent variable is what you're changing - the concentration of sugar solution. The dependent variable is what you're measuring - how much the potato's mass changes. Keep everything else the same: temperature, potato size, volume of solution, and timing.
Start by cutting potato cylinders with a cork borer or knife, making them roughly the same size. Weigh each piece carefully and record the mass. Then prepare your sugar solutions at different concentrations: distilled water (0%), 0.2 mol/dm³, 0.4 mol/dm³, and 0.6 mol/dm³.
Top Tip: Pat the potato dry before weighing to get accurate results - surface moisture can mess up your measurements!
Understanding Your Results
Place each potato piece in a different solution and wait 30 minutes. After removing them, gently pat off surface moisture and reweigh. Calculate the percentage change in mass to see what's happened.
In distilled water, your potato gained mass because water moved into the cells through osmosis. The potato cells had a higher concentration of dissolved substances than pure water, so water rushed in.
In strong sugar solutions, the potato lost mass as water left the cells. The sugar solution outside was more concentrated than inside the potato, pulling water out through the cell membranes.
Remember: Water always moves from where there's less dissolved stuff to where there's more dissolved stuff - it's trying to even things out!
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Understanding Osmosis Practical: GCSE AQA Guide
P
Poppy
@poppy_s
Ever wondered why chips go soggy when you put salt on them? It's all down to osmosis - the movement of water through cell membranes. This practical investigation shows you how to test osmosis using potatoes and different sugar solutions.
Setting Up Your Osmosis Experiment
You'll be investigating how osmosis works by watching water move in and out of potato cells. Osmosis is simply the diffusion of water from a weak solution to a strong solution through a partially permeable membrane - think of it as water trying to balance things out.
Your independent variable is what you're changing - the concentration of sugar solution. The dependent variable is what you're measuring - how much the potato's mass changes. Keep everything else the same: temperature, potato size, volume of solution, and timing.
Start by cutting potato cylinders with a cork borer or knife, making them roughly the same size. Weigh each piece carefully and record the mass. Then prepare your sugar solutions at different concentrations: distilled water (0%), 0.2 mol/dm³, 0.4 mol/dm³, and 0.6 mol/dm³.
Top Tip: Pat the potato dry before weighing to get accurate results - surface moisture can mess up your measurements!
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Understanding Your Results
Place each potato piece in a different solution and wait 30 minutes. After removing them, gently pat off surface moisture and reweigh. Calculate the percentage change in mass to see what's happened.
In distilled water, your potato gained mass because water moved into the cells through osmosis. The potato cells had a higher concentration of dissolved substances than pure water, so water rushed in.
In strong sugar solutions, the potato lost mass as water left the cells. The sugar solution outside was more concentrated than inside the potato, pulling water out through the cell membranes.
Remember: Water always moves from where there's less dissolved stuff to where there's more dissolved stuff - it's trying to even things out!
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Xander S
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THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE Knowunity AI. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE Knowunity AI. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user