Question

Can you state the reason why potato cubes when placed in water become firm and increase in size?

Answer 1

When potato cubes are placed in water, they undergo a process called osmosis. Osmosis is the movement of water molecules across a selectively permeable membrane from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration.

In the case of potato cubes in water:

1. The potato cells have a lower concentration of solutes (such as starch and other molecules) compared to the water.

2. Water molecules move through the potato cell membrane (which is semi-permeable) into the potato cells.

As a result of this osmotic movement of water:

- The potato cells take in water, causing them to swell.

- The increased influx of water into the cells makes the potato cubes firm and causes them to increase in size.

This process is reversible. If the potato cubes were placed in a solution with a higher concentration of solutes than the potato cells (hypertonic solution), water would move out of the cells, and the potato cubes would shrink and become less firm.

Answer 2

Potato cubes become firm and increase in size when placed in water due to osmosis, which is the movement of water molecules from an area of low solute concentration to an area of high solute concentration. Water moves into the potato cells, causing them to expand and become firm. This process can be observed in other situations as well, such as when raisins absorb water and become plump.

Step-by-step explanation:

When potato cubes are placed in water, they become firm and increase in size due to a process called osmosis. Osmosis is the movement of water molecules from an area of low solute concentration to an area of high solute concentration, through a semi-permeable membrane.

In the case of potato cubes, the water outside the cubes has a higher concentration of solutes compared to the inside of the cubes. As a result, water molecules move into the potato cells, causing them to expand and become firm.

This process can be observed in other situations as well. For example, if you place raisins in a bowl of water, they will absorb water and become plump. This is because the raisins have a higher concentration of solutes than the water, so water moves into the raisins through osmosis.