Question

describe what would happen to a potato's mass in varying solution conditions.

Answer 1

Potato is made up of sugar i.e., carbohydrate. When it is kept in varying solution conditions, osmosis will work upon it. In osmosis, solvent molecules(water in this situation) move from a region of lower solute concentration to a higher solute concentration via a selectively permeable membrane. The mass of the water will depend upon the movement of water in and out of the potato.

Percentage of change in mass= (Final mass-initial mass/ Final mass) X 100

We can set up a small experiment, when we put small pieces of potato in varying sucrose solutions to measure the change of mass of the potato pieces. We will also keep a potato piece in normal water in which the potato will absorb water, swell and the change in mass will positive. But in concentrated sugar solutions, the potato pieces will shrink and lose water, thus the change of mass will be negative.