Factors Affecting the Rate of OsmosisPlan PurposeTo find out whether osmosis occurs in a potato and observe how different concentrations of a solution affect the rate of osmosis in the potato.What is it osmosis?Before actually planning the experiment, I will do some research to find out osmosis and related issues, so that I can make predictions and work out a way to make this investigation fair and safe. Planning ahead would help me figure out how to do what, when to do it, etc. This should lead me to good results at the end of the experiment. Osmosis is the movement of water molecules from a solution of high concentration of water to an area of ​​low concentration of water, across a semipermeable membrane. Below is a diagram illustrating the process of osmosis: [IMAGE] Water potential is the tendency of water to move from an area of ​​higher concentration to an area of ​​lower concentration. This is a major factor affecting the rate of osmosis, as the higher the concentration of water, the more likely it is to move to an area of ​​low water concentration. In this case, tiny holes in the potato's membrane will allow water molecules to pass in and out of the solution and the potato, depending on the concentration gradient of the two substances. So in this case, when the concentration of water in the potato is lower, the water will enter the potato tissue and the potato will gain weight. If the difference between the two water concentrations is minimal, there should not be such a large change in weight. And if there is a higher concentration of water in the potato, the water will flow out of the potato. Potato cells will decrease in length, volume and mass due to a process called plasmolysis. The cell is surrounded by water, so it absorbs water making it