Egg Osmosis Lab

Eggmosis Lab Daniela Cerqueira

Purpose:
The purpose of this lab was to investigate the way osmosis works through a larger perspective.

Hypotheses:
If the egg is placed into corn syrup, then it will shrink.
If the egg is placed into distilled water, it will grow.

Background:
Cells have an outer covering called the cell membrane. The membrane is selectively permeable which means it has small openings that allow objects to move through it. The cell membrane dictates what moves in and out of the cell. Food and oxygen move into cells across the cell membrane by the process of diffusion. Diffusion is movement of a substance to an area of low concentration to high concentration. Osmosis is a special type of diffusion. It is the diffusion

Place egg into beaker and pour vinegar ⅔ of the way.
Let egg sit for 24 hours, record observations, refresh vinegar, soak for 24 more hours.
Let egg sit for another 24 hours, record observations, empty vinegar, and rinse egg under water.
Place egg back in beaker and pour corn syrup over egg ½ of the way.
Let sit for 24 hours, record observations, remove egg, gently wash egg and beaker.
Weigh egg and record new weight.
Place egg back into beaker and cover with distilled water. Let egg sit for 1 hour then record observations. Dispose of egg

Data:

FIGURE 1
Mass in grams
Observations
Percent change
Original egg
53
White in color, smooth texture, no smell
0%
Egg after soaking in

Finally, when the egg is immersed in distilled water, there is an increase in the weight and size of the egg. This is an indication that through osmosis water molecules moved from highly concentrated area into the egg which was less concentrated. Water molecules shifted from the area of high gradient to the area of less gradient. For example, when the egg was placed in corn syrup, water moved out of the egg, reducing the weight of the egg. The reverse is true for distilled water. In conclusion, the objective of the experiment was met since the process of osmosis was observed and