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SCIENCE AT HOME GRADE: 8

DIFFUSION AND
SUBJECT: Science
STRAND: STEM Skills and Connections;
Life Systems

OSMOSIS
TOPIC: Cells
EXPECTATIONS: A1.1, A1.2, A1.4,
B2.2, B2.3, B2.4, B2.6
VIDEO: youtu.be/09q96-CguZ0

INTRODUCTION:
Water is called the universal solvent. The
minerals and nutrients that dissolve in water
are called solutes. Depending on the
concentration of the solutes, water may enter
or leave cells through the cell membrane in a
process known as osmosis. WHAT YOU NEED:
• 2 stalks of celery with healthy, unbroken
In these experiments, you will use plant or
leaves
animal cells that you can find in your
refrigerator. Have fun with osmosis! Our goal is • A knife
to discover how to keep these cells hydrated.
• 2 clear containers
ACTIVITY 1: Hydrate plant cells
through osmosis you can see • ½ cup water

• Food colouring (preferably blue)

TIME: 20 minutes preparation, then
8 to 24 hours of observation • A clear Ziploc bag (optional)

SAFETY: WHAT YOU DO:

1. Put the two stalks of celery side by side, then
• Ask for permission before you use food in an
cut them off at their bases to make them the
experiment.
same length. How many rows of xylem do you
• Don’t eat anything after you’ve used it in an see?
experiment.
2. Put the water into one of the clear containers.
• If you have allergies, check with an adult to
3. Dissolve eight to ten drops of food colouring
make sure it’s safe to do this experiment.
into it. Why does it matter what colour you
use?

An agency of the
Government of Ontario
SCIENCE AT HOME GRADE: 8
DIFFUSION AND
SUBJECT: Science
STRAND: STEM Skills and Connections;
Life Systems

OSMOSIS
TOPIC: Cells
EXPECTATIONS: A1.1, A1.2, A1.4,
B2.2, B2.3, B2.4, B2.6
VIDEO: youtu.be/09q96-CguZ0

WHAT YOU DO (Continued):

4. Place one stalk into the coloured water, making sure its leaves are above the water line. Why does
the leaf location matter?

5. Place the other plant stalk in the empty container. This is the control.
Why is it important?

6. Wait between 8 and 24 hours. Record your observations every few

hours in a chart like the one below, and take photos if you can.

Stem Length Number Time Taken for Changes to Leaves Light

(cm) of Leaves Colour to Reach (Rigidity, Colour Changes, Other (Darkness, Direct Sunlight,
Leaves Observations) Indirect Sunlight, Indoor Light)

• How will you know if the leaf cells are hydrated? Can the water evaporate from the leaves?
Is there anything that can be measured or recorded?

• Scientists often collaborate with each other. Can you coordinate with your classmates to test
different variables? How will you make sure your setup is consistent with theirs?

An agency of the
Government of Ontario
SCIENCE AT HOME GRADE: 8
DIFFUSION AND
SUBJECT: Science
STRAND: STEM Skills and Connections;
Life Systems

OSMOSIS
TOPIC: Cells
EXPECTATIONS: A1.1, A1.2, A1.4,
B2.2, B2.3, B2.4, B2.6
VIDEO: youtu.be/09q96-CguZ0

ACTIVITY 2: Hydrate animal cells

TIME: 20 minutes preparation, then 4. Next, make a solution by dissolving a solute
12 to 48 hours of observation (for instance, salt) into a half cup of water.

5. Submerge the egg in your solution for at least

WHAT YOU NEED: 12 hours.
• 1 chicken egg 6. What do you think your solution will do to the
• ½ cup vinegar egg? What might pass through the
membrane? Will a solute such as food
• 1 clear container colouring or corn syrup pass through the egg
membrane? Why or why not? Come up with a
• ½ cup water hypothesis.
• Solute of your choice, such as: 7. Take pictures if you have access to a camera
or smartphone. Record your observations in a
• 5 drops food colouring chart like the one on the next page.
• 3 tbsp salt

• ½ cup corn syrup

• Measurement devices (such as a clock, a

timer, a scale, a ruler, etc.)

WHAT YOU DO:

1. Measure your egg's circumference and
weight. Record this data and other
observations about the egg's appearance in
the chart below.

2. Place the egg in a container and cover it with

vinegar. Over the next couple of days, observe
what happens to the egg. Record your
observations.

3. After 24 to 36 hours, gently rinse the egg in

water. The soft double membrane is delicate,
so be gentle. Did water or vinegar enter the
egg cell? How can you tell?

An agency of the
Government of Ontario
SCIENCE AT HOME GRADE: 8
DIFFUSION AND
SUBJECT: Science
STRAND: STEM Skills and Connections;
Life Systems

OSMOSIS
TOPIC: Cells
EXPECTATIONS: A1.1, A1.2, A1.4,
B2.2, B2.3, B2.4, B2.6
VIDEO: youtu.be/09q96-CguZ0

WHAT YOU DO (Continued):

Observations Before Vinegar After Vinegar After Solution 1

Time in Vinegar Time in Solution 1

Egg Circumference (mm)

Egg Weight (g)

Other Observations

Note: Want to try submerging the egg for more or less time? Repeat the experiment and create a
new observation chart to record your results.

• What changed about the egg membrane?

• Did the egg get bigger or smaller, or was there no change at all?

• How can you collaborate with your classmates to test different variables?

• How do the results of your different experiments compare? If they are different, what factors do
you think contributed to these differences?

Use the scientific method to create your own unique experiment.

Your challenge is to make your own experiment to find the best way to keep plant cells alive.
Hydration is one key component to keep a plant alive, but can you create an experiment that
incorporates other factors, such as light, carbon dioxide or nutrients?

An agency of the
Government of Ontario
SCIENCE AT HOME GRADE: 8
DIFFUSION AND
SUBJECT: Science
STRAND: STEM Skills and Connections;
Life Systems

OSMOSIS
TOPIC: Cells
EXPECTATIONS: A1.1, A1.2, A1.4,
B2.2, B2.3, B2.4, B2.6
VIDEO: youtu.be/09q96-CguZ0

1. Ask questions and do research

• What do you need to do to keep plant cells alive?

• How can you tell if the plant leaf cells are hydrated?

• What happens to the water that does not get used by the plant cells? (Hint: Try enclosing the
experiment into a clear Ziploc plastic bag.) What is transpiration?

• If you placed the celery in direct sunlight, for instance, in a sunny window, would that make a
difference?

2. Create a hypothesis
A hypothesis is an educated guess that you can test. For example, your hypothesis might be:
“If water is successfully transported through the stems to the leaves, the food colouring in the water
should be visible in the leaves.”

An agency of the
Government of Ontario
SCIENCE AT HOME GRADE: 8
DIFFUSION AND
SUBJECT: Science
STRAND: STEM Skills and Connections;
Life Systems

OSMOSIS
TOPIC: Cells
EXPECTATIONS: A1.1, A1.2, A1.4,
B2.2, B2.3, B2.4, B2.6
VIDEO: youtu.be/09q96-CguZ0

3. Experiment to test your hypothesis

• How will you design your experiment? What will you do?

• What data will you record? Is there anything you can measure?

• How will you record your qualitative and quantitative observations? Design an observation chart.

• What observations will you find hard to measure? Can you foresee any sources of error or
limitations?

An agency of the
Government of Ontario
SCIENCE AT HOME GRADE: 8
DIFFUSION AND
SUBJECT: Science
STRAND: STEM Skills and Connections;
Life Systems

OSMOSIS
TOPIC: Cells
EXPECTATIONS: A1.1, A1.2, A1.4,
B2.2, B2.3, B2.4, B2.6
VIDEO: youtu.be/09q96-CguZ0

4. Evaluate your results

Do your observations support your hypothesis? Did you get the results you were expecting, or were
you surprised? Do your results make sense based on what you already know about cells? Why? What
would you recommend to other students who wanted to repeat the experiment?

5. Repeat
• If your observations supported your hypothesis, great! Can you think of any changes you could
make to your procedure to make it even better? If so, go back to step 1.

• If your observations didn’t support your hypothesis, great! Learning what doesn’t work is an
important part of the scientific process. You know more now than when you started. It’s time to try
something else. Go back to step 1.

An agency of the
Government of Ontario