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This is because the potato, which is mostly water, is in a hypertonic solution (a solution with less water and more solute --here, sucrose-- than the potato). Since the solutions want to reach equilibrium (equal amounts of sucrose and water in both the solution and the potato), water diffuses out of the potato and sucrose diffuses into it. The potato loses its water weight, and sucrose doesn't replace the weight lost, the potato weighs less.

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Q: Why is it that when you put a potato in a high concentration of sucrose solution does its weight decrease?
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What change will occur if a piece of peeled potato is dropped in a concentrated sugar solution?

The potato may show some shrinking, but the more observable change is loss in mass of the peeled potato. Water will move out of the potato by osmosis. In osmosis, the water moves from the area of higher concentration to the area of lower concentration. There is lower water concentration outside of the potato because of the high amount of sugar dissolved in it. Depending on the concentration differences between the potato and the solution, water loss will continue until an equilibrium is reached. The potato piece will become flaccid (floppy)/plasmolysed, because of the water loss it has suffered. Shrinkage results from loss of turgor pressure in the potato, as a result of it becoming plasmolysed.


Will changing sucrose concentrations change the mass of the potato?

Yes, through a process called osmosis. Osmosis is the diffusion of water across a cellular membrane. Water flows from high concentrations to low concentrations. The mass of the potato will change based on the molarity of the solution it is placed in. CHEMISTRY REFRESHER: molarity is the amount of moles of a substance per liter(of water). If the potato is placed in a solution with a lesser molarity than itself(the solution has less glucose than the potato) then we would expect for the potato to gain water. This is because there is a greater concentration of water outside of the cell wall, so water enters the cell in order to obtain equilibrium. Using the same reasoning we would expect for the potato to lose water if it is placed in a solution of higher molarity


What is the sucrose molarity of a potato?

The potato is naturally very low in sugars. Although a potato contains three types of sugars; sucrose, fructose and glucose, the average potato is less than one percent sugar.


Analysis in potato in a salt solution?

first place a potato which is carved slightly inwards in the salt solution. it adsorbs the solution slowly and the level of the solution decreases.now place the pin at the potato


What change affect the turgor pressure of a potato cell?

you can soak it in a high concentration of salt water which causes it to lose its turgor pressure ,therefore it shrinks in size by diffusional water from inside the potato moves to the salt solution)

Related questions

Where is the disaccharide sucrose found in a potato plant?

The Disaccharide Sucrose found in a potato plant is in the flesh of the potato. The potato is nearly 100% starch and carbohydrates that produce sugars in the body.


What change will occur if a piece of peeled potato is dropped in a concentrated sugar solution?

The potato may show some shrinking, but the more observable change is loss in mass of the peeled potato. Water will move out of the potato by osmosis. In osmosis, the water moves from the area of higher concentration to the area of lower concentration. There is lower water concentration outside of the potato because of the high amount of sugar dissolved in it. Depending on the concentration differences between the potato and the solution, water loss will continue until an equilibrium is reached. The potato piece will become flaccid (floppy)/plasmolysed, because of the water loss it has suffered. Shrinkage results from loss of turgor pressure in the potato, as a result of it becoming plasmolysed.


What happens to potato strip in dilute water?

This depends on the concentration of the salt solution. If the water potential of the salt solution is greater (less concentrated) than the cell sap of the potato cells, water would move into the potato cells, increasing the size of the potato strip. If the water potential of the salt solution is lower (more concentrated) than the cell sap of the potato cells, water would move out of the potato cells in the salt solution, decreasing the size of the potato strip.


Will changing sucrose concentrations change the mass of the potato?

Yes, through a process called osmosis. Osmosis is the diffusion of water across a cellular membrane. Water flows from high concentrations to low concentrations. The mass of the potato will change based on the molarity of the solution it is placed in. CHEMISTRY REFRESHER: molarity is the amount of moles of a substance per liter(of water). If the potato is placed in a solution with a lesser molarity than itself(the solution has less glucose than the potato) then we would expect for the potato to gain water. This is because there is a greater concentration of water outside of the cell wall, so water enters the cell in order to obtain equilibrium. Using the same reasoning we would expect for the potato to lose water if it is placed in a solution of higher molarity


What is the sucrose molarity of a potato?

The potato is naturally very low in sugars. Although a potato contains three types of sugars; sucrose, fructose and glucose, the average potato is less than one percent sugar.


What will happen to a potato put in salt water?

In the salt solution the concentration of water inside the cells of the potato is higher than that outside. Therefore water molecules move from inside the potato where there is higher concentration of water molecules to outside the potato where there is a lower concentration of water molecules through semipermeable membrane of the potato cells. This process is called osmosis.


What are effect of osmosis on potato strips?

This depends on the concentration of the salt solution. If the water potential of the salt solution is greater (less concentrated) than the cell sap of the potato cells, water would move into the potato cells, increasing the size of the potato strip. If the water potential of the salt solution is lower (more concentrated) than the cell sap of the potato cells, water would move out of the potato cells in the salt solution, decreasing the size of the potato strip.


How does osmosis experiment take place with potato?

Beacause when you put the slice of potato in water osmosis takes place since concentration of water is lower then the concentration of the potato and water moves from ow concentration to high concentration so the water will move into the potato and the potato will become ridgid, But if you put salty water the salty water has a higher concentration then the potato so water will move out of the potato and the potato becomes soft.


How does glucose get to potatoes in potato plants?

Potato tubers make glucose by degrading sucrose (cane sugar). Sucrose is the end-product of photosynthesis and is transported from the leaves through the phloem to the tuber.


What happen to a raw potato kept in salt water?

If it was placed in a salty solution the potato strip would shrink because the outer solution has a high salt concentration so the water in the potato strip would get out through osmosis and would try to balance the solution


Analysis in potato in a salt solution?

first place a potato which is carved slightly inwards in the salt solution. it adsorbs the solution slowly and the level of the solution decreases.now place the pin at the potato


What change affect the turgor pressure of a potato cell?

you can soak it in a high concentration of salt water which causes it to lose its turgor pressure ,therefore it shrinks in size by diffusional water from inside the potato moves to the salt solution)