Osmosis cannot be demonstrated by a potato osmoscope using a solution...
Osmosis is defined as movement of solvent or water from a region of its higher concentration to a region of its lower concentration through a semipermeable membrane. Thus, osmosis can be demonstrated with the help of a system, which is impermeable to salt solution and permeable to water only. In case a system is permeable to salts, also we cannot distinguish the movement of water from outside to inside with the movement of salts from inside to outside, if the outer medium is hypotonic. Similarly if the outer medium is hypertonic movement of salt or water cannot be explained unambiguously. The membrane of potato is impermeable to sugars. Hence, a sugar solution should be used in a potato osmoscope.
View all questions of this test
Osmosis cannot be demonstrated by a potato osmoscope using a solution...
Explanation:
Impermeable to salt solution:
- The potato tissue is impermeable to salt solution, which means that it does not allow the salt (NaCl) to pass through its cell membrane.
- Osmosis is the movement of water molecules across a selectively permeable membrane from a region of low solute concentration to a region of high solute concentration.
- In this case, if a solution of NaCl is used instead of sugar in the potato osmoscope, the salt molecules will not be able to pass through the potato tissue.
- As a result, osmosis cannot be demonstrated using a salt solution in the potato osmoscope.
Permeable to sodium ion and chloride ion:
- While the potato tissue may be permeable to certain ions like sodium and chloride, it is impermeable to salt solution as a whole.
- The cell membrane of the potato tissue selectively allows certain molecules or ions to pass through while blocking others.
- In the case of a salt solution, the large salt molecules of NaCl cannot pass through the cell membrane of the potato tissue.
Therefore, the key reason why osmosis cannot be demonstrated using a potato osmoscope with a solution of NaCl instead of sugar is because the potato tissue is impermeable to salt solution as a whole, preventing the salt molecules from passing through and initiating the osmosis process.
To make sure you are not studying endlessly, EduRev has designed NEET study material, with Structured Courses, Videos, & Test Series. Plus get personalized analysis, doubt solving and improvement plans to achieve a great score in NEET.