MODELING OSMOSIS (LAB)

PROBLEM: Which way will water flow when a raw egg is placed in 250ml of
vinegar?
HYPOTHESIS: If a raw egg is placed in vinegar (water) and left for four days,
then the water will flow into the egg from an area of high concentration through
the membrane into an area of low concentration causing the egg to expand.
THEORY:
Osmosis is the diffusion of water from an area of high
concentration to an area of low concentration across a selectively
permeable membrane. The vinegar is 95% water and the egg has 74%
water and if it sits there for a while the water molecules will break
through the eggshell causing the water to move in and out of the egg
freely also causing the egg to expand.
PROCEDURE
1. Measure circumference of a raw egg using string and a ruler in cm.
2. Place egg in beaker and fill with 150 mL of vinegar.
3. Record observations.
4. Measure circumference for 4 days and record observations.
DATA/OBSERVATIONS:
DAYS CIRCUMFERENCE
(cm)
LIQUID LEVEL
(ml)
OBSERVATIONS
1 13.5 300 Water level without the egg
50 ml

All the shell isnt off the
egg yet






3 17.1 250 Water level without the egg
is 200ml
4 17.5 260 With out the egg 200ml

TOTAL EXPANSION GROUP # = 4.0
AVERAGE EXPANSION CLASS = 3.0
AVERAGE EXPANSION (7
th
GRADE)= 2.7

100% of the eggs tested expanded




Conclusion
In this lab, we studied the effect of Osmosis. After 4 days, the water from the vinegar
diffused from an area of high concentration, to an area of lower concentration in the egg,
causing it to expand 4cm. Our egg expanded 4.0 which is 1.3 cm more than the average
for all of the 7
th
grade, which was 2.7. Our egg also expanded 1.0 cm. more than the
average of our class, which was 3.0. My hypothesis was, if a raw egg is placed in
vinegar (water) and left for four days, then the water will flow into the egg from an
area of high concentration through the membrane into an area of low concentration
causing the egg to expand. My hypothesis was correct.
13.5
17.1
17.5
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
1 2 3
C
i
r
c
u
m
f
r
e
n
c
e

c
m

DAYS MEASURED
OSMOSIS: EXPANDING EGG
Circumference cm
4
3
2.7
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
A
V
E
R
A
G
E

E
X
P
A
N
T
I
O
N

I
N

c
m

Group 4 Period 4 7th Grade
Average Expansion Comparison
Average
Expansion
ANALYSIS:
1.
The
eggshell dissolved because of the chemical reaction between the vinegar
and the eggshell. When the acetic acid touched the
calcium carbonate, the acid started to dissolve. The eggshell producing CO2,
the acid dissolved the whole shell leaving the membrane.

2. Group 4s egg
4.0 cm in 4 days, and group 7s egg expanded 1.1 cm in 4 days. The difference
in expansion was 3.4 cm.

3. Cells need for these reasons. Water-cools the temperature of the
cell, it gets rid of chemicals, it helps stuff get to the cell, and it helps
the cell keep its shape. Without water, the cell would die.