A student investigated the effect of different concentrations of sucrose solution on the mass of potato cylinders.
This is the method used:
The table below shows the results of the investigation:
| Concentration of sucrose solution (mol/dm3\text{mol/dm}^3mol/dm3) | Initial mass of cylinder (g\text{g}g) | Final mass of cylinder (g\text{g}g) |
|---|---|---|
| 0.00.00.0 (distilled water) | 4.004.004.00 | 4.484.484.48 |
| 0.20.20.2 | 4.504.504.50 | 4.774.774.77 |
| 0.40.40.4 | 4.204.204.20 | 4.204.204.20 |
| 0.60.60.6 | 4.504.504.50 | 4.144.144.14 |
| 0.80.80.8 | 4.004.004.00 | 3.443.443.44 |
Calculate the percentage change in mass of the potato cylinder in the 0.6 mol/dm30.6\text{ mol/dm}^30.6 mol/dm3 sucrose solution.
Explain, in terms of water potential and osmosis, why the mass of the potato cylinder in distilled water (0.0 mol/dm30.0\text{ mol/dm}^30.0 mol/dm3) increased, while the mass of the potato cylinder in 0.6 mol/dm30.6\text{ mol/dm}^30.6 mol/dm3 sucrose solution decreased.