Determining the Water Potential of Potato Tuber Cells

Determination of the moisture potential of potato tuber cells We investigate to be able to determine the moisture potential of the potato tuber cells tested. Water potential is a measure of the tendency of water molecules to move from one place to another. (Ridge 1991) Water moves constantly down the water potential gradient and therefore moves from a higher water potential region to a lower water potential region. Equilibrium is reached when the water potential of one zone is equal to the water potential of another zone.

The purpose of this experiment was to investigate water transfer to and from plant cells. Cells selected for research are taken from potato tubers. First, let me explain about permeability. Permeation is the passage of water from the high moisture concentration zone through the semipermeable membrane to the low moisture concentration zone. Three important things are included in this definition. A semipermeable membrane is a layer of very thin material that blocks something while hindering others. The cell membrane is semipermeable. They allow small molecules such as oxygen, water, and amino acids to pass through but do not allow larger molecules such as sucrose, starch, and protein to pass through. High concentration of water is a very dilute solution such as sucrose or pure water. In each case there is a lot of water: high concentration water. The low moisture concentration range is opposite to the above.

Essay.com / "Experimental Study of the Influence of Penetration Potato" GCSE experiment to study the influence of sucrose solution concentration on the penetration of potato tubers

"Experimental Study on the Influence of Penetration into Potatoes" GCSE Experiment to Study the Effect of Sucrose Solution Concentration on Penetration of Potato Tubers

When potatoes are left in high concentration sucrose, they lose their mass. This is because a large amount of solute molecules are present in the solution. Here, the water potential is lower than the water potential of the potato cell with high water potential and low solute concentration. Therefore, water will balance the potato cells and the sucrose solution. Therefore, potato quality drops with water. In a sugar-rich solution, potato tubers shrink as water invades the potatoes.

Invasion occurs between the potato and the solution. When potatoes are placed in 0% saline (distilled water), water molecules from the distilled water diffuse through the cell membrane of potato cells and enter the vacuole. This will cause the cells to inflate. So these potato tubers are hard when I touch it. Excess water molecules in the vacuoles enhance the quality of the potato tubers. When potato tubers are in 5% salt solution, they do not change as much as other potato tubers in other solutions. They are about the same length, but their mass is reduced the same as other potato tubers that lost water. This is because the salt content of potatoes is less than 5% and the salt water is about 4%. Because the cells are approximately isotonic with the solution and therefore do not need to spread out, so much penetration does not occur.