How does osmosis explain the fact that a watery syrup forms when you put sugar on strawberries?
Osmosis helps to explain the fact that a watery syrup forms when you put sugar on strawberries. Let me explain how osmosis is involved in this process.
Osmosis is the movement of solvent molecules (usually water) across a semipermeable membrane from an area of low solute concentration to an area of high solute concentration. In the case of the sugar and strawberries, osmosis occurs due to the difference in solute concentration between the sugar and the juices present in the strawberries.
When you sprinkle sugar on strawberries, the sugar molecules dissolve in the juices released by the fruit. This creates a higher concentration of solute (sugar) outside the strawberry cells and a lower concentration inside the cells. Since water tends to move from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration, it flows from the strawberry cells into the area where the sugar is dissolved.
As a result, water molecules from the strawberry cells move out through the cell membranes to equalize the solute concentration on both sides of the membrane. This loss of water causes the strawberries to shrink slightly, and the dissolved sugar combines with the water to form a watery syrup surrounding the strawberries.
In this process, osmosis plays a crucial role by allowing water molecules to move through the semipermeable membrane of the strawberry cells to achieve equilibrium of solute concentration.