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 from the vinegar across the membrane into the egg. THEORY: Osmosis is the diffusion of water from an area from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration across a selectively permeable membrane. When the egg is placed in vinegar, the eggs calcium carbonate shell will immediately start to break down due to a chemical reaction, which will allow more water to get through. If thats not enough, vinegar is made up of about 90% of water, while the egg is made up of only 74% water. Because of the high concentration of water outside the egg, and the low concentration of water inside the egg, Osmosis will occur. The water will flow into the egg, and the egg will grow in size. PROCEDURE: 1. Measure circumference of a raw egg using string and a ruler in cm. 2. Place egg in beaker and fill with 250 mL of vinegar. 3. Record observations. 4. Measure circumference for 3 days and record observations. DATA/OBSERVATIONS: DAYS 1 2 CIRCUMFERENCE (cm) 14.0 cm 16.0 cm LIQUID LEVEL (ml) 300 ml 230 ml OBSERVATIONS Bubbles Displaced 45 ml w. egg Egg floated Squishy, shell was gone CO2 bubbles, foam Displaced 70 ml w. egg Egg was yellow water displaced 90 ml w. egg No bubbles

16.5 cm

200 ml

TOTAL EXPANSION GROUP # 7 = 2.5 cm AVERAGE EXPANSION CLASS = 2.6 cm AVERAGE EXPANSION (7th GRADE)= 2.7

100% of the eggs (39) expanded

OSMOSIS: EGG EXPANSION

17 CIRCUMFERENCE cm 16.5 16 15.5 15 14.5 14 13.5 13 1 2 DAYS MEASURED 3 14 Egg circumference 16 16.5

EXPANSION COMPARISON
3 2.9 AVERAGE EXPANSION 2.8 2.7 2.6 2.5 2.4 2.3 2.2 2.1 2 GROUP 7 PERIOD 1 7th GRADE AVERAGE EXPANSION

CONCLUSION In this lab, we were investigating if an egg was placed in vinegar for four days, then osmosis would occur. Over the period of four days, our groups egg expanded 2.5 cm, which was 0.2 cm smaller than the 7th grade average. This modeled osmosis because the high concentration of water molecules flowed across the eggs selectively permeable membrane to the lower concentration of water inside the egg. I hypothesized that the water in the vinegar would flow across the eggs selectively permeable membrane into the egg. My hypothesis was correct.

ANALYSIS 1) The weak acid in the vinegar caused the calcium carbonate in the eggs shell to dissolve, which broke down the eggs selectively permeable membrane. 2) Group number 3s egg was 3.4 cm bigger than group 7s. Group 3s egg grew 1.125 cm per day, compared to group 7s 0.275 cm per day. The groups could have just had a different kind of egg. Group 7s shell could have been stronger than group 3s, which would have made it harder for water to get in. 3) Cells need water to help their organelles to function. If their organelles dont function properly, then proteins will stop being produced, and the cell will have no energy to carry out life functions.