Egg Osmosis Lab

If one observes an egg in different solutions, then they can see how a cell goes through osmosis to
react to hypotonic and hypertonic solutions.

Sophie Wickersham - Ms. Jeter Biology Pre- AP Period

The lab started when a single cell (chickens

egg) was placed in 200 mL of vinegar.
Vinegar is a hypotonic solution, meaning
there is more solutes inside of the cell than
outside. Thus, water passes through the
membrane and into the cell. The starting
mass of the egg was 61.5 g, after soaking in
vinegar for 3 days the mass of the egg was
85.9 g. To further prove that osmosis
occurred, the starting amount of vinegar was
200 mL, after 3 days it dropped to 175 mL.
Day 1 Day 4
This is a 12.5 % decrease from the starting
amount of vinegar. The water molecules in
the vinegar were able to pass through the
membrane, therefore decreasing the volume
of liquid in the beaker and making the egg
larger

Karo syrup is a hypertonic solution, meaning there are

more solutes outside of the egg than the inside and more
water inside the egg than outside. Thus, water passes
through the membrane into the liquid surrounding the egg.
This makes the egg look small and shrunken. The mass of
the egg on day 3 was 85.9 g, after soaking in the syrup the
mass of the egg was 50.8 g. This is a 40.8614% decrease of
the eggs mass. Also, the beginning amount of liquid in the
beaker was 200 mL , after the egg soaked in the liquid there
was 235 mL of liquid in the beaker. The amount of liquid
increased by 17.5%.This shows that water passed through
the membrane and into the syrup.

EGG OSMOSIS LAB- SOPHIE WICKERSHAM 1

How can you explain the amount of liquid remaining when the egg was removed from the syrup?

Syrup is a hypertonic solution, meaning there was less water (more solvents) in the
syrup than there was in the egg. This caused water from inside the cell to pass through
membrane into the syrup. The liquid amount would increase due to the loss of water from
the egg through osmosis. At the start of the day, the egg was put in 200 mL of syrup, by the
next day there was 235 mL of liquid in the beaker. This is a 17.5 % increase of liquid in the
beaker due to osmosis.

Water is a hypotonic solution, meaning there was less solutes

outside of the egg than inside of the egg. This caused water to
pass through the membrane and into the egg. Before soaking
in water, the eggs mass was 50.8 grams, after soaking in water
the mass was 90.3 grams. This is a 77.75590% increase of the
mass. The staring measurement of water in the beaker was
200 mL, after the egg soaked in the beaker for a day, the
volume remaining 155 mL. This is a 22.5% decrease in the
liquid remaining in the beaker, thus osmosis occurred and
water passed through the membrane and into the cell.

Was your hypothesis validated?

Yes, the egg was placed in different hypotonic and hypertonic solutions causing
solvents to pass through the cell membrane (osmosis did occur). Thus, causing the
inflation and deflation of the egg. One can prove osmosis by looking at the mass of
the egg. If the mass has increased, then the egg was placed in a hypotonic solution
and took in water (causing the egg to have a greater mass). If the mass of the egg
decreased, then the egg was placed in hypertonic solution and expelled water
(causing the egg to have a lower mass). One can also tell if osmosis has occurred
by looking at the remaining liquid in the beaker when you remove the egg. If the
liquid level has increased, then the egg was placed in a hypertonic solution
causing it to lose/expel water. If the liquid level has decreased, then the egg was
placed in a hypotonic solution causing the egg to take in water.

EGG OSMOSIS LAB- SOPHIE WICKERSHAM 2