Why does the mass of a potato chip decrease after it is left in a concentrated sugar solution?

The water potential of the concentrated sugar solution is much lower than the water potential inside the cells of the potato chip. Therefore, the water molecules move down a concentration gradient out of the potato cells and into the solution. This causes the chip to shrink because it has lost the mass of water, therefore decreasing its overall mass.

TM

Related Biology GCSE answers

All answers ▸

What is the product of anaerobic respiration?


Describe how the structures involved in a reflex action help co-ordinate a reflex: (image with receptor, effector, spinal cord, synapse and neurones)


What is the best way to go about answering a long answer biology question?


Describe why organisms may become extinct due to a change in the climate