IA topic - isn't that too simple?

[littlebirdsaved]

Hi I was thinking about estimating the osmolarity as the topic of my IA. However, my teacher says it is too simple. I would like to know your opinion. And, if it is really too simple, how can I make it more appropriate for the IA? 

 

Research question:

How do the changes in masses of the apple and the potato depend on the concentration of sodium chloride solution?

 

Dependent: changes in the masses of the potato and the apple

Independent: the concentration of sodium chloride solution in which the apple and potato are placed

 

500 ml of water was poured to each of 4 beakers. Then, the masses of sodium chloride needed to prepare each of the solutions (0.0 moles, 0.2 moles, 0.4 moles, 0.6 moles)  were calculated and weighed, and then placed into the beakers. Apples and potatoes were cut into samples of equal volume using a cork borer with diameter of 1cm. The samples of the apple and the potato were then cut so that each of them had the same length of 3cm. Each sample was finally put to the test-tubes and poured with solutions with appropriate concentrations. The test-tubes were put into racks and left in the same room for 24 hours. After this time, all the samples were taken out of test-tubes with the tweezers, dried with a kitchen towel and weighed once again.

[bguloglu]

As it is it does seem simple, but you could probably work on it. In biochemistry, we calculate osmolarity and water potential using a thermodynamic property called chemical potential. That way you can actually predict how different components of the system will affect osmosis. Maybe you could look into that, although it is quite an advanced topic and probably beyond the syllabus. If you want to (and the new IB syllabus allows you to) you could maybe look into that. Otherwise, I would suggest a different approach.