Final answer:
The amount of syrup solution changed in the dialysis bag due to the process of diffusion, where smaller fructose molecules passed through the membrane into the water, while larger lactose molecules did not.
Step-by-step explanation:
The change in the amount of syrup solution within the dialysis bag can be explained by the process of diffusion. When a dialysis bag containing both lactose and fructose is placed in distilled water, the fructose, which is a monosaccharide, is small enough to pass through the pores of the dialysis bag and diffuse into the surrounding water. Lactose, however, is a disaccharide with a larger molecular structure that cannot pass through the pores of the dialysis bag, hence it remains inside the bag. This results in an increase of fructose concentration in the water outside the bag and no change in lactose concentration outside the bag.
Dialysis functions similar to how kidneys filter waste from the blood. For instance, in patients with kidney illnesses, a dialysis machine is used where blood flows through a tube with a semipermeable membrane, allowing small waste products like urea to diffuse into a dialysate solution, while larger blood components are retained.
Thus, the conclusion that can be drawn from this experiment is that smaller molecules like fructose can diffuse through the dialysis membrane, but larger molecules like lactose cannot.