Expert: Walter Hintz - 11/3/2008

Question
QUESTION: What are the properties of salt water and potato cells?
i have searched all over for this answer including books and internet, but i cannot find any useful info! i would really appreciate it if you helped me out! thanks!

ANSWER: The way this question is worded it does not make a lot of sense and no wonder you cannot find out anything.  There are two separate questions here involving salt water and cells.
Could this question be referring to osmosis of water in Plant cells

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: yes it is referring to osmosis.

Answer
Hi Kati
Osmosis is the movement of water across a semipermeable membrane.  If we put a potato in salt water the concentration on salt outside the cell increases and therefore the concentration of water decreases so water leaves the potato.  If we put the potato in fresh water the opposite is true and water enters the potato making it crisp