Are potatoes rigid in salt or distilled water?

* Osmosis: Potatoes, like all living cells, have semi-permeable membranes. This means that water can move through the membrane, but larger molecules like salts cannot.

* Water Potential: Distilled water has a higher water potential than a potato cell. This means that water wants to move from the distilled water (high potential) into the potato cell (lower potential).

* Salt Water: Salt water has a lower water potential than a potato cell. This is because the salt draws water out of the cell.

* Result: In salt water, the water moves out of the potato cell, causing the cell to shrink and become rigid. In distilled water, the water moves into the potato cell, making it less rigid and possibly even causing it to burst.

In summary: The higher concentration of salt in salt water draws water out of the potato cells, making them more rigid. Distilled water has the opposite effect, making the potatoes less rigid.