Charles K.

Powell-Bennet 6b2

Phillip Charles

Grade 12 IA

Topic: Water Potential

Aim: To determine the mean solute potential of the cell sap of onion epidermal cells.

Skills being assessed: M/M and A/I

Apparatus and materials : six test tubes with stoppers ,light microscope ,stop watch ,
distilled water , measuring cylinders , razor blades , six slides , six cover slips ,six
beakers , purple onion, forceps, 0.2 ,0.4, 0.6 ,0.8 and 1.0 mol/dm3 of sucrose solution,
paper towel.

Method:
 5cm3 of each sucrose solution was measured.
 The purple epidermis of the onion leaf was cut into ten 5mm squares.
 Two squares were placed into each test-tube, the tubes were closed, shaken
and left for 20 minutes.
 One piece of the epidermis was removed from each tube and placed on a
microscope slide.
 A cover slip was placed on and it was viewed under medium power.
 All visible cells in field of view were counted, and then all plasmolysed cells
were counted. The results were tabulated.
 The percentage of plasmolysed cells was calculated and then the percentage
plasmolysis was plotted against sucrose molarity.
 The solute potential of the cell sap (concentration at which there is 50%
plasmolysis) was found and the average distance the protoplasm pulled away
from the cell wall for each concentration.

Results:

TABLE 1.1: SHOWING THE RESULTS OF THE EXPERIMENT OF

PLASMOLYSIS USION A PURPLE ONION

CONCENTRATION TOTAL PLASMOLYSED %PLASMOLYSIS

CELLS (A) CELLS (B) (A/B *100)

0.2 mol/dm3 14 0 0%
0.4 mol/dm3 11 4 36%
0.6 mol/dm3 13 9 69%
0.8 mol/dm3 11 9 82%
1.0 mol/dm3 7 7 100%

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Charles K.Powell-Bennet 6b2

Graph:

Incipient plamolysis (conc. where plasmolysis is 50%_): approx. 0.5

Calculations:
Calculation 1.1: Average distances the protoplasm moved.

*Avg=sum of five /count

0.2 mol/dm3
No distance moved

0.4 mol/dm3
Only four were plamolysed.
0.6 mol/dm3
Avg= sum/count= (10 +14 +23+22 +10)/5 = 16 * 2.3 = 36.8micrometers

0.8 mol/dm3
Avg= sum/count= (12 +7 +20 +19 +30)/5 =18 * 2.3 = 41.4 micrometers
1.0 mol/dm3
Avg= sum/count= (15 +20 +20+30 +21)/5 =21 * 2.3 = 48.3 micrometers
Discussion:

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Charles K.Powell-Bennet 6b2

Water molecules possess kinetic energy, which means that they are continually moving
around when in a gaseous or liquid state. This movement increases and decreases based
on external factors. The movement of water in living systems occurs by osmosis, which is
the net movement of water molecules across a semi-permeable membrane in response to
differences in solute concentration. The water moves from areas of high-water/low-solute
concentration to areas of low-water/high-solute concentration. Osmosis can also be
defined as the diffusion of water across a semi-permeable barrier such as a cell
membrane, from high water potential (concentration) to lower water potential
(concentration). Water potential is the tendency of water molecules to move from one
area to another due to osmosis or gravity.

Water potential is affected by both solute potential and pressure potential. Solute
potential is a measure of the change in water potential of a system due to the presence of
solute molecules. When solute molecules are dissolved into water, the concentration of
water molecules is reduced, and therefore so is the water potential. Pressure potential is
based on is the effect of pressure on an area, and is an important component of the total
water potential within plant cells. Solute potential is always negative, because the
addition of more solutes reduces the water potential, but pressure increases the water
potential. Therefore water potential = solute potential + pressure potential.

In this experiment, we observed the plasmolysis of purple onion cells. As the molarity
increases, (based on the principle of osmosis) water in the cell sap leaves in order to have
an equilibrant system. The water moves from an area of higher concentration of water
(cell) to an area of lower concentration of water. The flow of water out of the cell
eventually causes the cytoplasm to move away from the cell wall (the large amount of
water kept the cell membrane touching the cell wall: at which the pressure potential
would keep the cell normal). This causes the cell to become flaccid (plasmolysed). As a
result of the cell membrane pulling from the cell wall, the pressure potential becomes
zero giving the water potential a negative value. Therefore, plasmolysis occurs when the
pressure potential equals zero. The higher the molarity, the larger the amount of water
coming from the sap, hence the larger the distance between the cell membrane and the
cell wall.
Plasmolysis (to an extent) is reversible. In pure water, water molecules have high free
kinetic energy. The higher the concentration of water molecules in a system, the greater
the total kinetic energy of water molecules in that system and also the higher its water
potential. If these cells were to be placed in pure water , (due to osmosis) there would be
a net flow of water into the cells until pressure potential is considered a factor. Hence ,
the cells would become turgid but would not burst due to the pressure potential of the cell
wall.

Conclusion: The mean solute potential of the cell sap of onion epidermal cells is 0.5
mol/dm3

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