Describe an experiment to investigate the effect of different solutions on potato strips, including materials, procedure, and expected observations.

a) Procedure: 1. Obtain three fresh potato tubers and peel them to remove the outer skin. 2. Using a cork borer and a ruler, cut three potato strips, each measuring exactly 1 cm × 1 cm × 4 cm. Ensure they are uniform in size. 3. Label three test tubes as X, Y, and Z. 4. Pour solution X (Salt solution) into test tube X, solution Y (NaOH) into test tube Y, and solution Z (Water) into test tube Z. Ensure enough solution to fully immerse the potato strips. 5. Measure and record the initial length of each potato strip (which is 4 cm) and note its initial texture (firm). 6. Place one potato strip into each labeled test tube, ensuring it is completely submerged. 7. Allow the potato strips to remain in the solutions for 30 minutes. 8. After 30 minutes, carefully remove each potato strip from its respective solution. 9. Gently blot each strip dry with a paper towel to remove excess surface liquid. 10. Measure and record the final length of each potato strip and note its final texture. b) Observations: | Solution | Initial length (cm) | Final length (cm) | Initial texture | Final texture | | :------- | :------------------ | :---------------- | :-------------- | :------------ | | X | 4 | < 4 | Firm | Flaccid/Soft | | Y | 4 | << 4 | Firm | Very soft/Mushy | | Z | 4 | > 4 | Firm | Turgid/Firm | c) Reasons for observations: Solution X (Salt solution): The salt solution is hypertonic (has a lower water potential) compared to the potato cells. Water molecules move out of the potato cells by osmosis from a region of higher water potential (inside the potato cells) to a region of lower water potential (the salt solution) across the partially permeable cell membrane. This causes the cells to lose turgor, become flaccid, and the strip to shrink* in length. Solution Y (NaOH): Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is a strong base and is corrosive. It causes chemical damage to the potato cells by denaturing proteins and breaking down cell walls and cell membranes. This leads to the lysis and disintegration of cells, resulting in a significant loss of structural integrity, making the strip very soft and mushy and causing it to shrink considerably*. Solution Z (Water): The water is hypotonic (has a higher water potential) compared to the potato cells. Water molecules move into the potato cells by osmosis from a region of higher water potential (the water) to a region of lower water potential (inside the potato cells) across the partially permeable cell membrane. The influx of water increases the turgor pressure within the cells, making them turgid and causing the strip to increase in length*. d) Why the potato was peeled and precautions taken: Why peeled: The potato was peeled to remove the periderm (skin), which is a protective outer layer. The periderm is largely impermeable to water and solutes, and its removal ensures that the potato cells are directly exposed to the solutions, allowing for efficient osmosis* to occur across the cell membranes. Precautions taken to ensure good results: Uniformity of potato strips:* All potato strips were cut to the exact same initial dimensions (1 cm × 1 cm × 4 cm) to ensure a fair comparison and minimize experimental error. Accurate measurements:* A ruler was used carefully to measure initial and final lengths to ensure precision. Consistent immersion time:* All strips were left in their respective solutions for the same duration (30 minutes) to ensure that the time factor was constant. Blotting:* Strips were gently blotted dry before final measurements to remove any surface liquid that could affect the accuracy of length measurements. Clean apparatus:* All test tubes and cutting tools were clean to prevent contamination that could interfere with the experiment. Sufficient solution volume:* Enough solution was used in each test tube to ensure the potato strips were fully submerged throughout the experiment. e) Control experiment: Procedure: 1. Take another potato strip of the same dimensions (1 cm × 1 cm × 4 cm) as the experimental strips. 2. Boil this potato strip in water for approximately 5-10 minutes to kill