Why does the potato in pure water (0 mol dm-3) gain mass?
1. Because water has moved into the cells from where there is little water to where there is lots of water.
2. Because water has moved into the cells, from a high water concentration (in the beaker) to a low water concentration (in the cell). This is osmosis.
3. Because sugar has moved into the cells.
4. Because water has moved out of the cells, from where there is little water (in the cells) to where there is more water (in the beaker)
2. Because water has moved into the cells, from a high water concentration (in the beaker) to a low water concentration (in the cell). This is osmosis.
The correct answer is option 2. Because water has moved into the cells, from a high water concentration (in the beaker) to a low water concentration (in the cell). This is osmosis.
The correct answer is (2) Because water has moved into the cells, from a high water concentration (in the beaker) to a low water concentration (in the cell). This is osmosis.
Explanation:
When a potato is placed in pure water, a concentration gradient is created between the outside of the potato (the beaker) and the inside of the potato (the cells). The potato cells contain solutes, such as salts and sugars, that create a lower water concentration inside the cells compared to the pure water in the beaker.
Osmosis is the movement of water molecules from a region of higher water concentration to a region of lower water concentration through a selectively permeable membrane, such as the potato cell membrane. In this case, water moves from the beaker (higher water concentration) into the potato cells (lower water concentration).
As water enters the cells, they swell and gain mass. This is why the potato gains mass when placed in pure water. None of the other options listed in the question (1, 3, or 4) accurately explain the process of osmosis and the movement of water molecules into the potato cells.