Biology AS CIE
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1-cell-structure10 主题
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1-2-cells-as-the-basic-units-of-living-organisms AS viruses
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1-2-cells-as-the-basic-units-of-living-organisms AS prokaryotic-v-eukaryotic-cells
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1-2-cells-as-the-basic-units-of-living-organisms AS the-vital-role-of-atp
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1-2-cells-as-the-basic-units-of-living-organisms AS animal-and-plant-cells
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1-2-cells-as-the-basic-units-of-living-organisms AS eukaryotic-cell-structures-and-functions
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1-1-the-microscope-in-cell-studies AS calculating-actual-size
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1-1-the-microscope-in-cell-studies AS resolution-and-magnification
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1-1-the-microscope-in-cell-studies AS eyepiece-graticules-and-stage-micrometers
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1-1-the-microscope-in-cell-studies AS magnification-calculations
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1-1-the-microscope-in-cell-studies AS the-microscope-in-cell-studies
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1-2-cells-as-the-basic-units-of-living-organisms AS viruses
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2-biological-molecules19 主题
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2-4-water AS water-and-the-hydrogen-bond
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2-4-water AS the-role-of-water-in-living-organisms
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2-3-proteins AS collagen
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2-3-proteins AS haemoglobin
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2-3-proteins AS globular-and-fibrous-proteins
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2-3-proteins AS protein-shape
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2-3-proteins AS the-four-levels-of-protein-structure
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2-3-proteins AS amino-acids-and-the-peptide-bond
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2-2-carbohydrates-and-lipids AS phospholipids
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2-2-carbohydrates-and-lipids AS triglycerides
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2-2-carbohydrates-and-lipids AS cellulose
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2-2-carbohydrates-and-lipids AS starch-and-glycogen
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2-2-carbohydrates-and-lipids AS the-glycosidic-bond
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2-2-carbohydrates-and-lipids AS reducing-and-non-reducing-sugars
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2-2-carbohydrates-and-lipids AS covalent-bonds-in-polymers
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2-2-carbohydrates-and-lipids AS biological-molecules-key-terms
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2-1-testing-for-biological-molecules AS testing-for-non-reducing-sugars
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2-1-testing-for-biological-molecules AS the-benedicts-test
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2-1-testing-for-biological-molecules AS biological-molecule-tests
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2-4-water AS water-and-the-hydrogen-bond
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3-enzymes13 主题
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3-2-factors-that-affect-enzyme-action AS enzyme-activity-immobilised-v-free
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3-2-factors-that-affect-enzyme-action AS enzyme-inhibitors
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3-2-factors-that-affect-enzyme-action AS vmax-and-the-michaelis-menten-constant
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3-2-factors-that-affect-enzyme-action AS rate-inhibitor-concentration
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3-2-factors-that-affect-enzyme-action AS rate-substrate-concentration
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3-2-factors-that-affect-enzyme-action AS rate-enzyme-concentration
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3-2-factors-that-affect-enzyme-action AS rate-ph
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3-2-factors-that-affect-enzyme-action AS rate-temperature
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3-1-mode-of-action-of-enzymes AS colorimetry
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3-1-mode-of-action-of-enzymes AS measuring-enzyme-activity
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3-1-mode-of-action-of-enzymes AS how-enzymes-work
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3-1-mode-of-action-of-enzymes AS enzyme-action
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3-1-mode-of-action-of-enzymes AS enzymes
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3-2-factors-that-affect-enzyme-action AS enzyme-activity-immobilised-v-free
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4-cell-membranes-and-transport16 主题
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4-2-movement-into-and-out-of-cells AS comparing-osmosis-in-plants-and-animals
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4-2-movement-into-and-out-of-cells AS osmosis-in-animals
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4-2-movement-into-and-out-of-cells AS osmosis-in-plant-cells
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4-2-movement-into-and-out-of-cells AS estimating-water-potential-in-plants
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4-2-movement-into-and-out-of-cells AS investigating-surface-area
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4-2-movement-into-and-out-of-cells AS surface-area-to-volume-ratios
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4-2-movement-into-and-out-of-cells AS investigating-diffusion
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4-2-movement-into-and-out-of-cells AS investigating-transport-processes-in-plants
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4-2-movement-into-and-out-of-cells AS endocytosis-and-exocytosis
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4-2-movement-into-and-out-of-cells AS active-transport
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4-2-movement-into-and-out-of-cells AS osmosis
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4-2-movement-into-and-out-of-cells AS diffusion
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4-1-fluid-mosaic-membranes AS cell-signalling
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4-1-fluid-mosaic-membranes AS the-cell-surface-membrane
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4-1-fluid-mosaic-membranes AS components-of-cell-surface-membranes
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4-1-fluid-mosaic-membranes AS the-fluid-mosaic-model
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4-2-movement-into-and-out-of-cells AS comparing-osmosis-in-plants-and-animals
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5-the-mitotic-cell-cycle8 主题
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5-2-chromosome-behaviour-in-mitosis AS observing-mitosis
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5-2-chromosome-behaviour-in-mitosis AS the-stages-of-mitosis
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5-1-replication-and-division-of-nuclei-and-cells AS how-tumours-form
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5-1-replication-and-division-of-nuclei-and-cells AS the-role-of-stem-cells
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5-1-replication-and-division-of-nuclei-and-cells AS the-role-of-telomeres-
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5-1-replication-and-division-of-nuclei-and-cells AS the-cell-cycle
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5-1-replication-and-division-of-nuclei-and-cells AS mitosis
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5-1-replication-and-division-of-nuclei-and-cells AS chromosome-structure
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5-2-chromosome-behaviour-in-mitosis AS observing-mitosis
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6-nucleic-acids-and-protein-synthesis9 主题
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6-2-protein-synthesis AS gene-mutations
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6-2-protein-synthesis AS transcription
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6-2-protein-synthesis AS constructing-polypeptides
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6-2-protein-synthesis AS the-universal-genetic-code
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6-2-protein-synthesis AS from-gene-to-polypeptide
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6-1-structure-of-nucleic-acids-and-replication-of-dna AS the-structure-of-rna
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6-1-structure-of-nucleic-acids-and-replication-of-dna AS semi-conservative-dna-replication
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6-1-structure-of-nucleic-acids-and-replication-of-dna AS the-structure-of-dna
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6-1-structure-of-nucleic-acids-and-replication-of-dna AS nucleotides
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6-2-protein-synthesis AS gene-mutations
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7-transport-in-plants11 主题
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7-2-transport-mechanisms AS phloem-mass-flow
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7-2-transport-mechanisms AS the-sucrose-loading-mechanism
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7-2-transport-mechanisms AS movement-in-the-phloem
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7-2-transport-mechanisms AS xerophytic-plant-leaf-adaptations
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7-2-transport-mechanisms AS water-and-the-transpiration-pull
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7-2-transport-mechanisms AS transpiration-in-plants
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7-2-transport-mechanisms AS water-and-mineral-ion-transport-in-plants
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7-1-structure-of-transport-tissues AS phloem-sieve-tube-elements
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7-1-structure-of-transport-tissues AS xylem-vessels-elements
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7-1-structure-of-transport-tissues AS xylem-and-phloem-distribution
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7-1-structure-of-transport-tissues AS plant-transverse-sections
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7-2-transport-mechanisms AS phloem-mass-flow
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8-transport-in-mammals16 主题
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8-3-the-heart AS heart-action
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8-3-the-heart AS the-cardiac-cycle
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8-3-the-heart AS the-walls-of-the-heart
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8-3-the-heart AS structure-of-the-heart
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8-2-transport-of-oxygen-and-carbon-dioxide AS the-bohr-shift
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8-2-transport-of-oxygen-and-carbon-dioxide AS the-oxygen-dissociation-curve
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8-2-transport-of-oxygen-and-carbon-dioxide AS plasma-and-carbon-dioxide
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8-2-transport-of-oxygen-and-carbon-dioxide AS the-chloride-shift
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8-2-transport-of-oxygen-and-carbon-dioxide AS red-blood-cells-haemoglobin-and-oxygen
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8-1-the-circulatory-system AS blood-tissue-fluid-and-lymph
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8-1-the-circulatory-system AS the-role-of-water-in-circulation
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8-1-the-circulatory-system AS cells-of-the-blood
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8-1-the-circulatory-system AS blood-vessels-structures-and-functions
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8-1-the-circulatory-system AS observing-and-drawing-blood-vessels
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8-1-the-circulatory-system AS the-main-blood-vessels
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8-1-the-circulatory-system AS circulatory-systems
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8-3-the-heart AS heart-action
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9-gas-exchange6 主题
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9-1-the-gas-exchange-system AS gas-exchange-processes
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9-1-the-gas-exchange-system AS structures-and-functions-of-the-gas-exchange-system
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9-1-the-gas-exchange-system AS recognising-structures
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9-1-the-gas-exchange-system AS recognising-tissues
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9-1-the-gas-exchange-system AS distribution-of-tissues
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9-1-the-gas-exchange-system AS the-human-gas-exchange-system
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9-1-the-gas-exchange-system AS gas-exchange-processes
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10-infectious-diseases6 主题
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11-immunity10 主题
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11-2-antibodies-and-vaccination AS vaccination-to-control-disease
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11-2-antibodies-and-vaccination AS how-vaccines-work
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11-2-antibodies-and-vaccination AS types-of-immunity
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11-2-antibodies-and-vaccination AS uses-of-monoclonal-antibodies
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11-2-antibodies-and-vaccination AS making-monoclonal-antibodies
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11-2-antibodies-and-vaccination AS antibodies
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11-1-the-immune-system AS memory-cells-and-immunity
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11-1-the-immune-system AS primary-immune-response
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11-1-the-immune-system AS antigens
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11-1-the-immune-system AS phagocytes
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11-2-antibodies-and-vaccination AS vaccination-to-control-disease
4-2-movement-into-and-out-of-cells AS estimating-water-potential-in-plants
Exam code:9700
Estimating water potential in plant tissue
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It is possible to investigate the effects of immersing plant tissue in solutions of different water potentials and then use the results to estimate the water potential of the plant tissue itself
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The most common osmosis practical of this kind involves cutting cylinders of potato and placing them into solutions with a range of different water potentials
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These are usually sucrose solutions of increasing concentration
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At least five different concentrations are usually required
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Method
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The required number of potato cylinders are cut (one for each of the solutions you are testing—or more than one per solution if you require repeats; this is good experimental practice)
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They are all cut to the same length and, once blotted dry to remove any excess moisture, their initial mass is measured and recorded before placing into the solutions
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They are left in the solutions for a set length of time (e.g., 30 minutes), usually in a water bath (set at around 30o)
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They are then removed and dried to remove excess liquid
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The final length and mass of each potato cylinder are then measured and recorded
Analysis
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The percentage change in mass for each potato cylinder is calculated
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If there is a potato cylinder that has neither increased nor decreased in mass, it means there was no overall net movement of water into or out of the potato cells
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This is because the solution that this particular potato cylinder was in had the same water potential as the solution found in the cytoplasm of the potato cells
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So there was no concentration gradient and therefore no net movement of water into or out of the potato cells
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The concentration of sucrose inside the potato cylinders can be found if a graph is plotted showing how the percentage change in mass changes with the concentration of sucrose solution
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The point at which the line of best fit crosses the x-axis is the concentration of sucrose inside the potato cylinders
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A positive percentage change in mass indicates that the potato has gained water by osmosis (net movement of water from the solution into the potato) meaning the solution had a higher water potential than the potato
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This would make the potato cells turgid, as the water exerts turgor pressure (or hydrostatic pressure) on the cell walls—the potatoes will feel firm
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A negative percentage change suggests the opposite, that is, the solution had a lower water potential than the potato
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The potato cylinder in the strongest sucrose concentration will have decreased in mass the most as there is the greatest concentration gradient in this tube between the potato cells (higher water potential) and the sucrose solution (lower water potential)
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This means more water molecules will move out of the potato cells by osmosis, making them flaccid and decreasing the mass of the potato cylinder – the potato cylinders will feel floppy
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If looked at underneath the microscope, cells from this potato cylinder might be plasmolysed, meaning the cell membrane has pulled away from the cell wall
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Examiner Tips and Tricks
Questions involving osmosis experiments are common and you should be able to use your knowledge of osmosis to explain the results obtained.
If describing or analysing an experiment remember to include mention of variables that need to be controlled and mention repeats, as this helps improve the reliability of the results obtained.
Don’t worry if it is an experiment you haven’t done yourself in the lab – simply figure out where the higher concentration of water molecules is (the solution with the higher water potential) and explain which way the molecules move due to the differences in water potential.
Responses