1. Additional information Dehadratep
OverIt's summer and it's HOT! There's no
avoiding it (unless you live in Antarctica).
otato
When it's hot, your body perspires (aka
sweats) as a natural means to
thermoregulate itself. All of that
perspiration that's cooling you down
primarily consists of water. The more you
perspire the more water comes from your
body and the less hydrated you become. If
you're not putting fluids back in your body, Mayra Aenlle #1
eventually you'll become dehydrated.
Dehydration is an excessive lose of body Diana Eugenia Chapa #4
fluids and can result in headaches, Gloria Sofia Menchaca #12
dizziness, decreased blood pressure, and (in
extreme cases) death.pressure, and (in Maria Alejandra Nava #14
extreme cases) death. Ana Sofia Salazar #18
2. Step-By-Step Procedure
• 1. Take your paper and mark it with the word "salted" and place it on a flat surface,
such as a table.
Required materials • 2. Place one of the dishes on the paper and the other next to it.
• 3. Fill each dish with an equal amount of water (the water level should be high
• 1 Potato (small or medium sizes will
enough to fill the dish, but not so high that it overflows).
work best)
• 4. Stir two table spoons of salt into the dish marked "salted'.
• 2 Dishes or Saucers (deep enough to
hold about a half-inch of water) • 5. Using your knife and your cutting board, cut the potato in half. Make sure to cut
the potato so you have two equal size pieces.
• Cutting board
• 6. Place one-half of the potato, flat side down, into the dish marked "salted".
• Knife • 7. Place the other half of the potato, flat side down, into the dish with plain water.
• Salt (about 2 tablespoons) • 8. Let the potatoes sit in the dishes undisturbed for about an hour.
• Water Observation
• Piece of paper What do you think will happen to the potato that's bathing in the plain water? What will Note
happen to the potato that's bathing in the salted water? What if you were to use something
• Pen, pencil, or marker Make sure to get help from an adult when
other than salt, such as vinegar? What would be the effects on the potato? How about if you
handling the knife! It's suggested you ask
were to use a different vegetable?
an adult to cut the potatoes for you.
Estimated Experiment Time
The salt water is acting as a dehydrator by drawing moisture out of the potato. As the water
is drawn out of the potato, the potato begins to get dehydrated. As it dehydrates, the potato ________________________________________
About an hour
shrivels.
Result
The salt water is acting as a dehydrator by drawing moisture out of the potato. As the water
is drawn out of the potato, the potato begins to get dehydrated. As it dehydrates, the potato
shrivels.
