Today, year 6 explored how our bodies get the water and nutrients they need through the process of osmosis and diffusion. To highlight these processes, we soaked gummy bears in 3 different liquids (Coca Cola, water and salty water) for 24 hours. We discovered that the gummy bear in the water grew in size because the water molecules moved from a higher concentration (water), to a lower concentration (gummy bear) which is exactly what happens in our bodies. The water in our blood would move into our cells in order to keep us hydrated.
However, the gummy bear in the salt shrank. This tells us that if there is too much salt in our blood stream, the water will actually move away from our cells, where it is needed, and back into the blood to restore balance. As a result, we can become dehydrated and our cells become less efficient.
