Stage 1 Biology

IF1: Deconstruct and Design Practical Investigation

Osmosis in Action

Part C: Writing Your Practical Report

The following is a Prac cal Inves ga on Report Template that you can use to complete your
Deconstruct and Design Prac cal Report. Refer to the Prac cal Inves ga on Report Checklist to
ensure you meet the requirements of the Stage 1 Biology IF1: Deconstruct and Design Prac cal
Inves ga on.
Introduction (approx. 500 words)
The purpose of this prac cal inves ga on was to see how changing the temperature of the
water affects the rate of osmosis. Osmosis is the process by which molecules of solvent tend
to pass through a plasma membrane which is semipermeable. The less concentrated solu on
moves into a high concentrated solu on, this type of transport is called osmosis which does
not require any energy.

Diagram of how osmosis works

It is believed that the higher the temperature the rate of osmosis will increase. When the
temperature increases the faster the molecules are able to move around which makes it
easier for osmosis to happen. This is based on an understanding of osmosis. For osmosis to
happen there needs to be an area with a lower concentra on so that the liquid can move
from the high concentra on to the low concentra on.

As the temperature increased the faster osmosis can happen. Seen by a increase of weight
when the temperature was higher. The independent variable was the temperature of the
water and the dependant variable was the rate of osmosis, measured by how much the
weight of the egg changed. The following factors were held constant:
● Salt solu on (different salt solu ons will make the egg change faster or slower)
● Amount of water (having an egg half in water and an egg completely in water can
affect the results as it limits where osmosis can happen)

However there were some factors which could not be controlled:

● Room temperature (room temperature changing the temperature of the experiments)
● Eggs shells not properly dissolved in the vinegar (less surface area where osmosis can
work)
Deconstruction Process*
Printed copy of the filled in deconstruct template should be handed to the teacher or digital
copy submi ed on Google Classroom.

Materials/Apparatus*
● 3 eggs dissolved in vinegar
● 500 grams of salt
● 3 beakers
● Scales
● Thermometer
● Kettle
● Ice cubes
● 3 label stickers
● Salt
● Water
● 3 containers

Method/Procedure*

1. Get necessary equipment our and ready

2. Set beakers out and label them: Tap water, Cold, and Hot
3. Boil water
4. Put ice cubes into water to make the water cold
5. Get 1 litre of tap water and put into one of the containers
6. Measure the ini al weight of the eggs and record it
7. When the water was boiled it was put into one of the containers
8. Put the cold water into the last container and keep the ice cubes in it
9. Make up 5% salt solu on and put it into the three beakers
10. Put a egg in each beaker
11. Put the beakers into the containers and record the temperature using a thermometer
of each container
12. Leave the eggs for half an hour
 13. Take the eggs out the beakers and record the final weight of the eggs

Safety Considerations*
The hot water will burn the skin so if any hot water gets on skin put it under cold water for 10
minutes.
If you drop a beaker it can smash and put glass everywhere and you should straight away
clean it up and tell people not walk in that area.

Results*

Figure 1: A graph showing the average weight change for each temperature
Table 1: Table showing the raw data collected and the weights for the 3 temperatures tested
Temperature Ini al weight Final weight Weight change Percentage
(Celsius) (Grams) (Grams) (Grams) weight
difference

30 67.18 68.6 1.42 2.13

20 63.08 64.69 1.61 2.55

5 58.92 60.03 1.38 2.34

Analysis of Results (approx. 300 words)

The results are not consistent with the hypothesis. The hypothesis was that the higher the
temperature the higher the rate of osmosis as hot water makes the molecules move faster
which speeds up the rate of osmosis. Looking at figure 1 it shows that there was a random
error. The experiment which was at 30 degrees had a random error as that one doesn’t match
 the rest of the results. This could be because some of the egg shell could have not been
completely dissolved and that means that osmosis can't happen there which means there is
less surface area on the egg where osmosis can happen. However the rest of the results show
that the weight change does increase when the temperature gets higher as the 5 degrees only
increased by 2.34% while the 20 degrees increased by 2.55%.

Evaluation of Procedures (approx. 600 words)

Looking at the graph there is a result that was not expected which is due to a random error.
The egg shell could not have been properly dissolved in the vinegar and that means on that
part of the egg osmosis can’t there as the shell is blocking it. A strength of this prac cal was

An unavoidable systema c error which could have impacted the all of the results obtained.
There could have been too much or not enough salt in the water which would have impacted
all the results. If there were too much salt then the weight could have changed more than it
should have and if it didn’t have the right amount of salt in it then it wouldn’t change weight
as much as it should.The only way to see if this was an error would be to do the experiment
again and make the salt solu on again and see if they are similar results compared to the old
ones.

To improve the prac cal design would be to make sure that the egg shell has been properly
dissolved so that osmosis can properly happen on the whole egg and not on some of the egg.
Another way of improving this prac cal design would be having controlled room temperature
so that it doesn’t change the temperature of the experiments. Another way of improving
would be the same experiment but with a variety of different temperatures so that the data is
more reliable. Repea ng the experiment and learning from the mistakes that happened in the
last experiment would be good as that would make that data more reliable.

Conclusion (approx. 100 words)

The trend of the obtained results do not support the hypothesis. The hypothesis was that as
the temperature increased the rate of osmosis increased as the ho er water makes the
molecules move faster. In theory the results should have showed that the rate of osmosis
increased as the temperature increased but the results obtained from the experiment do not
show that and that’s because of a random error

References*
●

Performance Standards Stage 1 Biology Students Name:________________

A
D A B C D
C
 Cri cally deconstructs a Logically deconstructs a Prepares a basic
Deconstructs a problem and
IAE problem and designs a logical, problem and designs a deconstruc on of a problem
designs a considered and generally
1 coherent, and detailed well-considered and clear and an outline of a biological
clear biological inves ga on.
biological inves ga on. biological inves ga on. inves ga on.

Obtains, records, and

Obtains, records, and Obtains, records, and Obtains, records, and represents
represents data, using
represents data, using represents data, using data, using generally appropriate
IAE conven ons and formats
appropriate conven ons and appropriate conven ons and conven ons and formats with
2 inconsistently, with
formats accurately and highly formats mostly accurately and some errors but generally
occasional accuracy and
effec vely. effec vely. accurately and effec vely.
effec veness.

Systema cally analyses and Undertakes some analysis and Describes data and
Logically analyses and
interprets data and evidence interpreta on of data and undertakes some basic
IAE interprets data and evidence to
to formulate logical evidence to formulate generally interpreta on to formulate a
3 formulate suitable conclusions
conclusions with detailed appropriate conclusions with basic conclusion.
with reasonable jus fica on.
jus fica on. some jus fica on.

Cri cally and logically A empts to evaluate

IAE Logically evaluates procedures Evaluates procedures and some of
evaluates procedures and procedures or suggest an
4 and their effect on data their effect on data
their effect on data. effect on data.

Demonstrates deep and broad Demonstrates some depth and Demonstrates some basic
Demonstrates knowledge and
KA knowledge and understanding breadth of knowledge and knowledge and par al
understanding of a general range
1 of a range of biological understanding of a range of understanding of biological
of biological concepts.
concepts. biological concepts. concepts.

Applies biological concepts Applies biological concepts Applies biological concepts

KA Applies some biological
highly effec vely in new and mostly effec vely in new and generally effec vely in new or
2 concepts in familiar contexts.
familiar contexts. familiar contexts. familiar contexts.

Cri cally explores and Logically explores and Par ally explores and
Explores and understands aspects
KA understands in depth the understands in some depth the recognises aspects of the
of the interac on between science
3 interac on between science interac on between science interac on between science
and society.
and society. and society. and society.

Communicates knowledge and Communicates knowledge and

Communicates knowledge and Communicates basic
understanding of biology understanding of biology
understanding of biology generally biological informa on, using
KA coherently, with highly mostly coherently, with
effec vely, using some appropriate some appropriate terms,
4 effec ve use of appropriate effec ve use of appropriate
terms, conven ons, and conven ons, and/or
terms, conven ons, and terms, conven ons, and
representa ons. representa ons.
representa ons. representa ons.

Teacher Comments: