Osmosis in Quails’ Egg Essay

Title:Osmosis in quails’ egg Aim: To observe the effect of different concentrations of sodium chloride on a de-shelled quail’s egg To explain the effects in terms of osmosis Research Questions: Does the different concentrations of sodium chloride on a de-shelled quail’s egg effect the final mass of quail’s eggs that is measured by using electronic weighing balance? Introduction: â€Å"If a cell is to perform its functions, it must maintain a steady state in the midst of an ever-changing environment. This constancy is maintained by the regulation of movement of materials into and out of the shell. To achieve this control, cells are bounded by a delicate membrane that differentiates between different substances, slowing down the movement of some while allowing others to pass through. Since not all substances penetrate the membrane equally well, the membrane is said to be differentially permeable. The external and internal environment of cells is an aqueous solution of dissolved inorganic and organic molecules. Movement of these molecules, both in the solution and through the cell membrane, involves a physical process called diffusion – a spontaneous process by which molecules move from a region in which they are highly concentrated to a region in which their concentration is lower. A special kind of diffusion is the phenomenon of osmosis. Simply defined in biological systems, osmosis is the diffusion of water through a differentially permeable membrane from a region in which it is highly concentrated to a region in which its concentration is lower. ;