Introduction
Diffusion is the movement of materials from areas of high concentration to the area of low concentration, whereas osmosis is the diffusion of water from area of high concentration to the area of low concentration through a semi-permeable membrane. The two processes are always important to the body since they are often involved in transport of substances and materials in the body like water and minerals. Osmosis and diffusion are related since they involve transport of materials from area of high concentration to the area of low concentration (concentration gradient). In osmosis concentration gradient of water is increased by adding more solutes in two different areas. The more solutes present in a solution, the less water present thus the low concentration of water in the solution. Conversely areas of high concentration of water will have low level of solutes and vice versa. The more solute present in a solution, the less room for water and thus the lower concentration of water. Nevertheless areas with less concentration of solutes will have high concentration of water. In the process of osmosis, the solutes are stopped from diffusing by the semi-permeable membrane thus only water is allowed to diffuse.
Discussion
Experiment was done to determine the effect of high concentration of independent variable which is the solute on osmosis and the results were written down. The results then were used to bring out a report on the findings answering the question of effect of the independent variable on the rate of Osmosis?
Hypothesis
I believe that the mass of the cellophane baggies will increase after being immersed in the water and the figures will change in the table of comparison. The sugar solute in the cellophane baggies will allow osmosis to take place due to difference in concentration gradient between water and the solutes. After the sinking of the baggies, they will become tough and rigid due to concentration of water inside.
After some moments when the concentration gradient of water and solutes will be normal, the baggies will neither gain mass nor loose mass and at this place the gradient is zero. Osmosis will stop occurring since the concentration of inside the cellophane baggies and outside will be equal thus stopping Osmosis.
Findings and the analysis.
From the results obtained, it is seen that there is different connection between the sugar in the solution and the mass of the cellophane baggies at the end of the exercise.
| Concentration of sugar | 0.0 | 0.25 | 0.50 | 0.75 | 1.00 |
| Original mass before sinking | 20.47 | 21.35 | 19.97 | 17.96 | 21.01grams |
| Final mass after sinking | 22.27 | 24.17 | 23.56 | 22.33 | 26.12 grams |
From the table of report we find that there is increase in mass of the cellophane baggies after sinking in water. This one supports the argument that independent variable affects the rate of osmosis as shown above and here the variable used was the Sugar and the semi-permeable membrane was the cellophane baggies. The high concentration of the solutes in the Cellophane baggies escalated to high level of osmosis as seen in the table as the molar mass increased, the Osmosis level increased. See the concentration at 1.00, the mass after sinking becomes 26.12 grams.
Another unmeasured factor which affected Osmosis in this experiment is the pressure. As the cellophane bags became rigid there was increase in pressure which also affected the rate of Osmosis in this experiment. The high the pressure caused the faster movement of the molecules towards the area of the low concentration and vice versa.