Bend a Carrot

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In this activity, learners investigate the process of osmosis by adding salt to a sealed bag of raw carrots and comparing it to a control. After about 15-30 minutes, the carrots with salt become flexible and water can be seen in the bag. Extensions include measuring the amount of water lost from the carrots, varying the salt solutions, and investigating other liquids, vegetables or solids. Part of the "No Hassle Messy Science with a Wow" activity guide by OMSI, where all activities use only household materials.

Quick Guide

Preparation Time:
5 to 10 minutes
Learning Time:
10 to 30 minutes
Estimated Materials Cost:
$1 - $5 per group of students
Age Range:
Ages 8 - 14
Resource Types:
Activity, Experiment/Lab Activity, Lesson/Lesson Plan
Language:
English, Spanish

Materials List (per group of students)

  • 4 baby carrots (or cut larger carrots to size)
  • 2 sealing plastic bags (e.g., Ziploc)
  • 1 permanent marker (e.g., Sharpie)
  • 1/4 cup salt
  • 1 plastic cup, 8 oz.
  • 1 plastic spoon

Keywords

Subjects

  • Life Sciences
    • Cells
      • Cell Structure and Function
  • Physical Sciences
    • Chemistry
      • Solutions
    • States of Matter
      • Liquids
    • Structure and Properties of Matter
      • Atomic Structure

Informal Categories

  • Food and Cooking

Audience

To use this activity, learners need to:

  • see
  • read
  • touch

Learning styles supported:

  • Involves hands-on or lab activities

Other

Foreign language versions of this resource:

Components that are part of this resource:

Includes alignment to state and/or national standards:

Access Rights:

  • Free access

By:

  • Oregon Museum of Science and Industry

Rights:

  • All rights reserved, Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, 2007

Funding Sources:

  • National Science Foundation
  • Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation