In the Osmosis and diffusion lab
xplains the flow of water when an egg reaches equilibrium.
In the Osmosis and diffusion lab, the flow of water in an egg reaching equilibrium can be explained through the process of osmosis. Osmosis is the movement of water molecules across a semi-permeable membrane from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration.
When an egg is immersed in a solution, such as vinegar, the vinegar acts as a hypotonic solution because it has a lower solute concentration compared to the egg. As a result, water molecules present in the vinegar move into the egg through its semi-permeable membrane in order to equalize the concentration of solutes.
Over time, as more and more water molecules enter the egg, it becomes in a state of equilibrium. This means that the concentration of solutes inside the egg and in the vinegar solution has equalized, causing the flow of water to stabilize.
To understand the flow of water when an egg reaches equilibrium in this lab:
1. Place an egg in a container filled with vinegar. The vinegar will dissolve the calcium carbonate shell of the egg, leaving behind a semi-permeable membrane.
2. As the vinegar penetrates the eggshell, water molecules inside the egg move out to the vinegar solution, driven by the concentration gradient.
3. After some time, the movement of water molecules into and out of the egg will continue until an equilibrium is reached. At equilibrium, there is an equal concentration of water molecules inside and outside the egg, resulting in no net flow of water.
Overall, the flow of water during the osmosis process in this lab is driven by the concentration gradient created by the difference in solute concentration between the egg and the vinegar solution.