Question

question 3
a group of students are conducting an experiment. since potatoes contain both sugar and water, the students use them in the experiment. the students cut six equal cubes of potato and weigh them. they place the six cubes into six different beakers containing different concentrations of sugar solutions, then weigh each potato cube after 24 hours and calculate the percent change in mass. the graph below shows the result of their experiment.
percent change in mass of potato cores
versus sucrose solution concentration
which of the statements below is a valid conclusion about this experiment?
○ a the higher the concentration of sugar, the more likely the potato will gain mass.
○ b the lower the concentration of sugar, the less likely the potato will gain mass.
○ c the lower the concentration of sugar, the more likely the potato will gain mass.
○ d the higher the concentration of sugar, the more likely the water concentration will be at equilibrium.

Explanation:

The graph shows that as the concentration of the sucrose solution increases, the percent change in mass of the potato cores becomes more negative (losing mass). When the concentration of the sugar - solution is lower, the potato cores have a positive percent change in mass (gaining mass). This is due to osmosis, where water moves from an area of higher water potential (lower solute concentration) to an area of lower water potential (higher solute concentration). In a lower - sugar concentration solution, water moves into the potato cells, causing an increase in mass.

Answer:

c. The lower the concentration of sugar, the more likely the potato will gain mass.