Sunday, April 26, 2020
Study of Consumer Behaviour on Soaps Essay Example Essay Example
Study of Consumer Behaviour on Soaps Essay Example Paper Study of Consumer Behaviour on Soaps Essay Introduction Our research project studied the influence of price as the major factor in the purchase behavior of Indian consumers by studying the purchase behavior of soap in a sample of students. As price is traditionally considered as one of the most important of 4 Pââ¬â¢s of marketing, and a review of past literature showed an existing link between price and the purchase behavior, the topic was chosen to study. A convenient sample of 40 students was asked to respond to questionnaire containing multiple choice, scale and dichotomous questions with a focus on price of soaps. The results were analyzed with the emphasis on finding the important attributes of soap considered by consumers and how they ranked of price among the most important attributes in soaps. Gender analyses of the results were also done to find the change of the perception of price among men and woman. Respondents were also tested on their knowledge of the phenomenon of hidden pricing. The results were analyzed and were plott ed in graphs to arrive at the proof for testing our hypothesis. A. Introduction 1. Problem Statement Study of Consumer Behaviour on Soaps Essay Body Paragraphs Consumer behavior is a complex, dynamic, multidimensional process, and all marketing decisions are based on assumptions about consumer behavior. The 4 Pââ¬â¢s (Price, promotion, product and place) are considered to be the marketing-mix variables that influence the consumers of a product. From a sellerââ¬â¢s view, these four are the marketing tools available to influence buyers. From a buyerââ¬â¢s point of view, each of these marketing tools is designed to provide a customer benefit. Out of the marketing-mix variables, traditionally, price has been the major determinant of a buyerââ¬â¢s choice. This is still in case with large segments of buyers across the globe. Although non-price factors have gained a lot of importance in the last few decades, price still remains an important factor in determining sales and profitability. Price exerts its influence in FMCG (Fast moving consumer goods) and marketers have tried to introduce new factors such as superior packaging, better ad vertisements, and increased number of choices to reduce the influence of price. The increased efforts are more visible in this product category as there is more competition for all segments in this market. Despite the extensive research, marketers still have poorly understood pricing and pricing strategies have become very important in determining the success of a product and a company. 2. Research Objectives/Hypotheses The objective of this research is to provide the insight into the degree of influence of price as the most important factor in the purchase decision of soap by a consumer, in order to provide a clear insight into the effect of price and the change of price in product sales which will help marketers to develop better pricing strategies and to plan for the optimum mix of the marketing-mix variables. Null hypothesis: Price is the most important attribute that influences the purchasing decision of soaps. Alternate hypothesis: Price does not play a significant role in the purchase decision of soaps. 3. Rationale for Approach The study started with collecting and reviewing existing literature in consumer behavior to ascertain the various factors of influence. Pricing related studies are also taken into account to find and conclude the presence of a research gap in studies relating FMCG sector (soaps in particular) and price to the behavior of consumers in southern India. 4. Value: in terms of Possible Outcomes The outcomes will provide the answer to the research questions of whether price plays a role in consumerââ¬â¢s minds while evaluating soap as a product and how much of an influence does price play in the buying decision. It will also give us an insight into whether price has the effect of overcoming customer loyalty and change habits and buying pattern. 5. Limitations of the study 1. The sample was fairly homogenous in terms of education level and income level. 2. The shopping behavior of the sample was not varied. 3. The study did not focus on the discount offers given on soaps. B. Methodology/Approach 1. General Research Design 2. Specific Research Questions 1. What are the factors that play a role in consumerââ¬â¢s decision of purchase of soaps? 2. Is price the most important attribute on which the consumer bases his purchase decision? 3. Will a change in price of the soap influence the buying decision? 4. Will a price change lead to shift in the customer loyalty to particular brand? 3. Data Collection Population ââ¬â The shopping population of the campus and surrounding areas â⬠¢ Sample Design ââ¬â 40 (Convenience sample). â⬠¢ Measurement methods ââ¬â Survey using personal, structured questionnaire composed of be multiple-choice, dichotomous, scale questions. 4. Questionnaire Format: This Questionnaire was structured in such a way that it includes the profile of the consumer and the following factors related to the consumer behavior. 1. Product/brand attributes 2. Buying pattern/behavior 3. P urchase frequency/ quantity 4. Price of the product 5. Influence of price on the purchase 6. Shift in customer loyalty due to price change 5. Research Schedule: Task |Proposed date of completion | |Collecting responses to questionnaire |30/11/2009 1/12/2009 | |Interpreting the responses from the questionnaire |03/12/2009 | |Discussion regarding analysis of data using statistical tool |05/12/2009 | |Application of the statistical analysis to the data collected. |09/12/2009 | |Forming the results and conclusion |11/12/2009 | C. Literature review: An Exploratory Study of Sales Promotion Activities in Toilet Soap Category: An Insight into Consumer and Retailer Perceptions ââ¬â Kureshi Sonal and Vyas Preeta. In this research paper, an attempt has been made to examine the nature of sales promotion activities in toilet soap category in India, study retailer perceptions with respect to these activities and also get an insight into consumer perceptions of these activities. Findings indi cate that with respect to the nature of the schemes, premiums (free gifts) were found to be the most frequently used in both premium and popular toilet soap category, followed by price offs. Retailersââ¬â¢ perceived price offs had relatively greater impact compared to any other forms of sales promotion. In line with the retailersââ¬â¢ perceptions, the findings of consumer perceptions indicated that price offs were the most preferred type of sales promotion. â⬠¢ Supplier Attributes That Impact Institutional Buying Behavior ââ¬â A study on FMCG supplies to Hotel Industry ââ¬â Githa S Heggde and D. Sudharani Ravindran. The study on the functional gap implied how and why a particular buyer or a group reacted to the decisions of the producer in selecting a particular product and its utilization. The study of this functional gap proved that effective positioning of the product made the market place work better so that the buyers make better decisions to buy the product. The study involved the consumer involvement in the decision making process through the involvement theory. This theory is about consumer learning, which presumes that the degree of interest in purchase of an item depends upon the risks involved. The involvement is also dependent on nature of the product or service and the psychology of the customer. â⬠¢ Consumer buying behavior in Asian markets ââ¬â Mark Speece. The findings of this study indicated that Asian middle-class was primarily value-orientated. The specific criteria for choice that Asian consumers used was different for various product characteristics. There was strong value orientation for product quality issues and price. Asian consumers looked more closely at product characteristics to ensure a purchase was worth the price they were being asked to pay. Consumers ââ¬Ëbalance offââ¬â¢ quality and price, which means that they wanted good products, but not necessarily the best which they consider too expensive, or the cheapest which they do not trust in quality terms. Within that, how consumers across Asian markets reach their decisions is not so different from how western consumers reach theirs. â⬠¢ Consumer Buying Behavior of, and Perceptions towards, Retail brand baby products ââ¬â Adelina Broadbridge and Henry Morgan. For some consumers, retail brand products were regarded as superior to well known manufacturers brands (Gallup, 1997). A successful brand was perceived as possessins sustainable unique added values (de Chernatony and McDonald, 1998) or representing a variety of ideas and additional attributes (Gardner, 1955)and this was extended to many retail brand products. A higher risk tolerance usually occurred when the consumer required greater assurance about quality rather than price although for high priced items, social and performance risk slowed the growth of retail brands. D. Analysis of results: [pic] Fig 1. Ranking of soap attributes in purchase of soap Finding 1: Contrary to the assumption, Quality was ranked first by the majority of the people. [pic] Fig 2 Ranking of price by customers while purchasing soap Finding 2: 41. 6% of the respondents ranked price as the second most important attribute they consider while purchasing soap. The price sensitivity of the sample was checked. There were asked to identify for which price range increase they would change their brand. As shown in the bar chart below, most people said that they would change the brand only for a price increase of greater than 15%. [pic] Fig 3 Price sensitivity of consumers buying soap Segmenting the sample on the basis of the gender, the price sensitivity was checked again. It was seen that females showed greater price sensitivity towards higher levels of price increase, while the males showed greater price sensitivity at lower levels of price increase. [pic] Fig 4. Soap price sensitivity difference in males and females. Another aspect that was evaluated was if the respondent s were aware of the phenomenon of hidden pricing in soaps. While a majority, i. e. , 85% knew about hidden pricing, a surprising percentage of only 68% said that they would change their brand due to hidden pricing. [pic][pic] Fig 5. Knowledge of hidden pricing among consumers and change in purchase behavior E. Summary: 1. After the analysis of results, we come to conclusion to reject the null hypothesis and accept the alternate hypothesis. 2. Hence, ââ¬Å"Price is not the most significant factor in the purchase decision of soaps. ââ¬Å" We can also see a number of other interesting conclusions ââ¬â We can see that in the purview of soaps based on the considered sample, they are â⬠¢ Majority of the respondents felt that quality is a stronger deciding factor than price. â⬠¢ Most of the respondents were price sensitive only to the higher levels of price increase. â⬠¢ Females are more brand loyal than males in the lower price ranges. They change brands only for a highe r price increase. â⬠¢ Though a majority of the respondents knew about the phenomenon of hidden pricing, some of them still donââ¬â¢t view it as a reason strong enough to change brands. F. Conclusion: G. 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Wednesday, March 18, 2020
Free Essays on Theories Of Modernization
Introduction The main objective of this document is to synthesize the main aspects of the four major theories of development: modernization, dependency, world-systems and globalization. These are the principal theoretical explanations to interpret development efforts carried out especially in the developing countries. These theoretical perspectives allow us not only to clarify concepts, to set them in economic and social perspectives, but also to identify recommendations in terms of social policies. For the purposes of this paper, the term development is understood as a social condition within a nation, in which the authentic needs of its population are satisfied by the rational and sustainable use of natural resources and systems. This utilization of natural resources is based on a technology, which respects the cultural features of the population of a given country. This general definition of development includes the specification that social groups have access to organizations, basic services such as education, housing, health services, and nutrition, and above all else, that their cultures and traditions are respected within the social framework of a particular country. In economic terms, the aforementioned definition indicates that for the population of a country, there are employment opportunities, satisfaction -at least- of basic needs, and the achievement of a positive rate of distribution and redistribution of national wealth. In a political sense this definition emphasizes that governmental systems have legitimacy not only in terms of the law, but also in terms of providing social benefits for the majority of the population. 2. Theory of Modernization According to Alvin So, there are three main and historical elements which were favorable to the inception of the modernization theory of development after the Second World War. First, there was the rise of the United States as a superpower. While other Western nations, ... Free Essays on Theories Of Modernization Free Essays on Theories Of Modernization Introduction The main objective of this document is to synthesize the main aspects of the four major theories of development: modernization, dependency, world-systems and globalization. These are the principal theoretical explanations to interpret development efforts carried out especially in the developing countries. These theoretical perspectives allow us not only to clarify concepts, to set them in economic and social perspectives, but also to identify recommendations in terms of social policies. For the purposes of this paper, the term development is understood as a social condition within a nation, in which the authentic needs of its population are satisfied by the rational and sustainable use of natural resources and systems. This utilization of natural resources is based on a technology, which respects the cultural features of the population of a given country. This general definition of development includes the specification that social groups have access to organizations, basic services such as education, housing, health services, and nutrition, and above all else, that their cultures and traditions are respected within the social framework of a particular country. In economic terms, the aforementioned definition indicates that for the population of a country, there are employment opportunities, satisfaction -at least- of basic needs, and the achievement of a positive rate of distribution and redistribution of national wealth. In a political sense this definition emphasizes that governmental systems have legitimacy not only in terms of the law, but also in terms of providing social benefits for the majority of the population. 2. Theory of Modernization According to Alvin So, there are three main and historical elements which were favorable to the inception of the modernization theory of development after the Second World War. First, there was the rise of the United States as a superpower. While other Western nations, ...
Monday, March 2, 2020
How Women Can Maximize Their Leadership Skills
How Women Can Maximize Their Leadership Skills Thereââ¬â¢s a long way to go before we can say that we have gender equality in the workforce. That idealà world would include total guaranteed pay equity, family leave, and a host of other less tangible things on the equality laundry list- most which would involve women getting the respect they deserve, not to mention recognition for their performance and the freedom to go about their workdays without having to deflect sexism or misogyny. Maybe you work in an environment that feels well ahead of the curve. If so, thatââ¬â¢s awesome. But perhaps you donââ¬â¢t, and you are striving to understand how you can have the kind of career you want despite the minefield of obstacles that seem to stand in your path. Either way, letââ¬â¢s face it. Women can- and often are- treated differently in the workplace.Have you ever been called ââ¬Å"honeyâ⬠or ââ¬Å"dollâ⬠by a client or a superior? Have you ever been the only person asked to fetch coffee in a meeting of mostly m en? Have you been passed over for promotions in favor of male colleagues who havenââ¬â¢t been working there as long as you have and, at least as far as you can tell, havenââ¬â¢t matched your performance or achievements? These are but a few of the many ways in which women are still being left behind professionally.According to the latest accounting by Catalyst, women currently hold only 5.8% of CEO positions at SP 500 companies. Thatââ¬â¢s a pretty measly slice of the pie. How, you might be wondering, can those odds be changed? Thereââ¬â¢s a lot of chatter (online and in bestselling books and inspirational speeches) about what women need to do to get to the top. ââ¬Å"Leaning inâ⬠is just one strategy. Dressing or acting less feminine is another popular one- that means upping your aggression, going in for the kill, learning to be a mercenary in a cutthroat business world. But if these strategies feel a little severe to you, or abrasive, or you just canââ¬â¢t imag ine these tactics working for you, there are other ways.Embrace Your Natural Leadership AbilitiesKeep in mind, women have a wealth of natural leadership skills- and have for generations. Think about the hardworking, iron-willed and purposeful women in your family. Think about how your family has been held together and shepherded through tough times over the years. Chances are a woman is responsible for some or most of that. Think for a second about the unsung skills of your foremothers. Just because they arenââ¬â¢t recognized as they should be doesnââ¬â¢t mean their skills arenââ¬â¢t praiseworthy- and arenââ¬â¢t just the kind of leadership qualities you might innately possess.Things like emotional intelligence, instinct, crisis management, multitasking, troubleshooting, and opportunity managing. Women have (mostly) run the domestic show for a long time, and so effectively and seamlessly that nobody thinks to notice their labors, or their wealth of skills- or to notice ho w those skills might so easily translate into assets in the corporate world.Every woman is different. And gender differences donââ¬â¢t always fall along cookie-cutter lines. There are plenty of women who wouldnââ¬â¢t identify with all or any of the above traits, and plenty of men who would. But, generally speaking, most women do tend to be more collaborative and to take a slightly different tack in decision-making and leadership matters.Just because there are these marked and observable differences in most cases, it is also true that there arenââ¬â¢t any real substantive differences in what it takes to be a good leader that would disqualify a woman or more naturally recommend a man. Women are just as passionate, just as entrepreneurial, just as driven, just as strategic, and every bit as capable. Humans are humans, after all.According to a Gallup poll in 2015, employees with female managers were found to be more engaged in their work than those with male managers. Despite t his- and despite the fact that women are 51% of the population, only 33% of employees in the U.S. have female bosses or supervisors. At the 2013 World Economic Forum, founder and executive chairman Klaus Schwab said that ââ¬Å"A world where women make up less than 20% of the global decision-makers is a world that is missing a huge opportunity for growth and ignoring an untapped reservoir of potentialâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ He was (and still is) right. The more diversity of decision-makers in the workplace and the world, the better off the world and the workplace will be.Develop Key SkillsStart by leveraging the authentic qualities you started out with, rather than downplaying those traits in favor of more stereotypically masculine ones. Embrace your empathy and intuition. They can be invaluable tools for innovation and strategic marketing. Lead by example. ââ¬Å"Go highâ⬠when everybody else is going low (thanks, Michelle Obama!). Use your problem-solving skills rather than studying f rom some male-written business manual. Trust your own ideas. Speak when you feel you should, but not just for the sake of speaking. Stay quiet and listen when you feel thatââ¬â¢s most appropriate- youââ¬â¢ll never know what you might learn or how your patience might be rewarded when you finally do interject and lobby for your ideas.Cultivate ConfidenceThis may be a tough one, but itââ¬â¢s necessary. Ever met a male CEO or industry leader without it? Start by faking it; eventually youââ¬â¢ll make it. And remember, you wonââ¬â¢t get where you want to go by trying to please everyone you come across. If youââ¬â¢ve done your homework and you know your industry and your job inside and out, then speak up; join the fray. Trust yourself. You know what youââ¬â¢re talking about. Speak up and share it. Donââ¬â¢t be afraid to show the world that you are well aware of your own merits and qualifications and that you feel quite strongly when youââ¬â¢ve got the right idea. Be an Actor, Not a ReactorKeep an eye out for opportunities to make a real impact and create a reputation for being a real contributor to projects and causes that matter. But also try to balance that a bit. Work-life balance is important. You canââ¬â¢t rise to the top if youââ¬â¢re too stressed and exhausted to support yourself on the way up. Your contributions will be most valuable when theyââ¬â¢re backed up by good stores of sleep and health and verve.Work to Build a Matriarchy from WithinHelp other women. Pull your sisters up to the next promontory as you reach it. Mentor women and girls in your field. But also keep in mind that (most) men arenââ¬â¢t adversaries. Reach out for other, very different perspectives and advice. Seek out both male and female mentors and learn to navigate a path that feels right to you between their unique points of view. Learn to see what all good leaders have in common, regardless of their gender. (Hint: this will be a long list.)Above All : Listen for Your Own VoiceSeek out the stories of women who have made it to those coveted top rungs. Many top women leaders will say that there are a few qualities most crucial to the kind of success in leadership that you crave. Things like being proactive, constantly striving to learn new things and move your business (and indeed your industry) forward. Being able to negotiate confidently, rather than settle quietly. Being flexible, and able to adapt to any situation or crisis you may confront, open enough to think outside the box for a solution. But also keeping your eyes open, using your listening skills and powers of observation. Staying focused, despite all of the noise. Being authentic, true to yourself, but never keeping silent. Being outspoken, even if that means learning to get comfortable not being universally liked.Remember, you are your best (and sometimes only) advocate. Only you can be truly confident in your capabilities. Itââ¬â¢s up to you to convince everyone e lse. Toot your own horn and the horns of the women you work with. No one will do it for you. Strike that power pose and unleash your creative forces. Pitch your ideas. Be audacious. Soon, youââ¬â¢ll be respected, even if not universally everyoneââ¬â¢s best pal or favorite colleague. Respect, above all else, is key.In an ideal world, the burden wouldnââ¬â¢t fall so squarely on women to prove their mettle and earn the respect their male colleagues seem to start with at the bottom rung. But the world wonââ¬â¢t always be so lopsided. You could be one of tomorrowââ¬â¢s leaders, a captain of industry who commands respect and changes lives. You could help shape a better, brighter world- not just for women in the workplace, but for all of us. So go ahead and take your seat at the conference table. And donââ¬â¢t be afraid to stand up and grab the mic.
Friday, February 14, 2020
Ovid's influence in Shakespeare's Venus and Adonis and The Rapes of Essay
Ovid's influence in Shakespeare's Venus and Adonis and The Rapes of Lucrece - Essay Example The title-page of Venus and Adonis, the first work which Shakespeare saw into print, was adorned with an epigraph from the Amores, a proclamation of the poems affiliation.â⬠(p.2) Once someone realizes the ultimate truth in any discipline, be it spirituality, music, literatureââ¬âthe ultimate viewpoints will be identical, though the language in which it is expressed may vary. To repeat the sameââ¬âthe variations effected by the brilliant authors will produce brilliant results. Read Shakespeare, how easily he does it as if a bird takes to the wings to fly in the blue sky! The wise people versatile on the subject of love sayââ¬âlove is a bird with colorful wings that remains in the heart of the lover ever caged. It moves there with tantalizing speed to make one a bard! Love in the sixteenth century was thoroughly unconventional. Open discussion about the physical aspects of love in literature or in any form was unthinkable and not socially acceptable. Societys views on sex and desire were orthodox and a behind-the-curtain subject. Not according to Shakespeare, who was deeply influenced by Ovid, when he created Venus and Adonis. How sex can be separate from love? The logical conclusion of love is culmination in sexual acts. There is nothing ugly about the erotic forms. Sex is natural and beautiful with all the beings created by God. Nothing improper or distasteful about it. Love can not be restrained and why should one do? Love transcends reason and therefore it can be equated with the spiritual experience, when one crosses the mind barrier. Love i s fated, and it occurs not due to human endeavor. Shakespeare builds his story of Venus and Adonis on Ovids Venus and Adonis myth. It is just like two master artists creating the same painting! Its all about platonic love. Even when established on the highest citadel of love, Shakespeare doesnt
Sunday, February 2, 2020
Maintenance Management of Engineering Assets Assignment
Maintenance Management of Engineering Assets - Assignment Example Evaporative air conditioners are usually composed of two main units which are the condenser and the evaporator. The condenser is normally situated outside the room preferably on a concrete slab while the evaporator is usually mounted on the duct of the main junction on top of the furnace (Wasim et al, 2009). Most of the central air conditioners are normally linked to the forced air distribution systems for houses and thus both systems share the same motors and blowers. Both units of the central air conditioner are usually sealed. The evaporative condenser works on a basic principle that if air flows past water, it will cause it to evaporate. In an evaporative air conditioner, hot air usually enters the cooling unit situated on the roof of the building whereby it is filtered and then cooled as it goes through special pads that are moistened for this task. This unit is normally referred to as the condenser. The moistened air is then directed to the evaporator which is composed of ventilator and a fan. The fan blows smoothly through the cooled air distributing it through the house (Wasim et al, 2009). The hot air in that is present in the house is then forced out of the room through the windows and the ventilators resulting in a total shift in the air present in the room. By controlling the speed of the fan, the air temperatures can be controlled. The evaporative air conditioner requires water and hence a constant supply of water must be present. This unit I composed of the wet pads and the water tank. The water tank holds water that is used to cool the pads. The water held in the tank must be constantly supplied to the system in such that the warm water flows out allowing for a fresh supply of water to flow in. The wet pads are usually composed of either corrugated paper with a binder or wood wool. However, corrugated paper with binder is preferred over the wood wool since it lasts longer and the
Friday, January 24, 2020
Grendel the Existentialist Monster :: Grendel Essays
Grendel the Existentialist Monster The monster Grendel is the ironic eye through which the action is viewed and from this perspective he provides the reader with never-ending examples of buffoonery and self-parody. Often his claims reveal the Sartrean component in his makeup: "I create the whole universe, blink by blink"(Gardner 22). Gardner,of course,wants to make a point here about solipsism. There is more to the objective world than Grendel's ego. Naturally the universe still exists when Grendel closes his eyes. Likewise, when Grendel says "I observe myself observing what I observe", (Gardner 29) ,he reminds us of Sartre's view of the self-reflective nature of consciousness. As he said in his interview, Gardner planned to parody Sartre's ideas in Being and Nothingess in these sections of the novel. When Grendel says "then I am not that which observes! I am lack. Alack. "(Gardner 29) he plays on the French verb manquer(to lack) that Sartre uses in his description of the lacking quality of consciousness. This ability to observe his observing is a clue to the philosophical underpinnings of the early chapters. Gardner's irony should be crystal clear--Grendel is amusing himself with Sartre's phenomenology. Now what is the reader to make of all this? A brief summary of Sartre's description of consciousness may help. According toSartre man exists on the level of being-in-itself(as a body in a world of objects) and on the level of being-for-itself(consciousness ). The key to understanding Grendel's view of the world is this distinction between the in-itself and the for-itself.Since, for Sartre, being-in-itself is uncreated(he can find no evidence of a creating God) and superfluous("de trop"), it reveals itself as a sort of absurd, meaningless outer reality. But being-for-itself, on the other hand, is the awareness that consciousness is not the being of the in-itself. Its being is revealed in a more paradoxical way-- as an emptiness in the center of being. How can it be aware of itself as an object?Impossible says Sartre. Simply put, the for-itself is the absence or the lack(thus Grendel's "lack") of the objectness of the in-itself . It reveals itself as the nothingness that remains when y ou realize that your consciousness is not an awareness of an object(such as your body), but rather an awareness of the lack of an object; or,to put it another way, it is an awareness of a nihilated presence.Grendel is proof that only an
Thursday, January 16, 2020
Osmosis lab Essay
The Measurement of the Rate of Osmosis by using ââ¬Å"Deshelledâ⬠Chicken Eggs (Effect of Solute Concentration upon Rate/Degree of Osmosis in Chicken Eggs) Introduction Every cell needs a mechanism that it uses in the maintenance of a constant internal environment. This is important in the control of the ever changing external environment to the cell. The transfer of materials to and from the cell thus needs a very stable mechanism to achieve this status. Cells are therefore bound a membrane that acts the selective controller of the movement of different substances to and from the cell. This is especially when dealing with the solutes both to and from the cell. Some solutes must be allowed to move into and out of the cell depending on the need and urgency of the very solutes. This membrane is considered to selectively permeable to different solutes and thus will only allow the passage of specific solutes to and from the cell. This implies that the membrane to most cells is selectively permeable or has a differential permeability to different solutes. Both the internal and the external environment to the cell are composed an aqueous solution that is made of dissolved organic and inorganic substances. The gradual or spontaneous movement of these substances in and out the cell are guided by a mechanism called diffusion. This is a movement by molecules to a region of lower concentration from that of higher concentration. A good number of studies have been used in the biology field that are related to the use and importance of such passive movements in the cells and the entire organisms. There exist a number of passive movements that are vital to the functioning of several organisms. These include movements like diffusion, osmosis and others. However, the paper will be pegged onto the factors related to osmosis. The experiment will try to underscore the importance of osmosis using the shelled eggs cells. This will also encompass the effects of several salt concentrations to the egg cells. Research Questions The paper tires to answer a number of questions related to osmosis. First, it seeks to understand and illustrate the importance of osmosis to the cellular life of an organism. It will also seek to underscore the vitalityà of the osmosis process to the mode of transport in the egg cells. It will go ahead to explain the relevance of different solutions to the eggs cells. It then explains the role and importance of osmosis to the tissues and cells in the body. When dealing with osmosis, we use several terms. These are the hypertonic, hypotonic and the isotonic. These are used in relation to the relative concentrations of such solutions to the cell sap being investigated. Curtis defined these terms as illustrated below. Hypotonic is the solution that contains a low concentration of the solutes particles. Water will always move away from the hypotonic solution. In a typical cell, the hypotonic solution becomes the reference point or the control in the experiment just like in this experiment. This implies that the solution has lesser particles in comparison to that of intracellular space. The hypertonic solution on the other hand, refers to the solution that contains higher concentration of particles. It refers to the solution that has a higher concentration s compared to that of the intracellular space. Water will always move across the semi permeable membrane into the hypertonic solution in the cellular setting. This simply implies that the hypertonic solution has more concentration of the particles than the intracellular space. Finally, the isotonic solution contains the solutes with the same concentration as those of the other solution in comparison. When these two isotonic solutions are separated by a semi permeable membrane, then there will be a net flow of water across the membranes. Research Hypothesis It is right to pre-empt that the eggs cells will react to the different solutions used in the experiment. This will be in the three different ways discussed above as hypotonic, hypertonic or isotonic solutions. The solutions will have a relative concentration in comparison to that of the eggs cells sap. Materials and Methods Part I: Effect of the Solute Concentration Each group of students were given 2 chicken eggs from which the shell hadà been dissolved away. The remaining membrane that was the shell membrane was considered to be differentially permeable. Each egg was assumed to have approximately the same concentration of solute in the membrane. Based on the rate of osmosis, the experiment attempted to determine what the concentration must have been. Each egg was then weighed separately to the nearest 0.1g and results recorded the weights in a Table at time ââ¬Å"0.â⬠Each egg was again placed into separate beakers containing solutions of either distilled water (0%), 10% sucrose, 20% sucrose, 30% sucrose, 40% sucrose and an unknown sucrose solution. At 15 minute intervals that is after 15, 30, 45, 60, and 75 minutes, the eggs were removed from the beakers. They were then carefully wiped off all excess water; and again each egg weighed separately. Record the weights or masses were then recorded and weight changes placed in the Tables. Plot the changes in weight of each of the eggs were then plotted against time in a graph as shown in the results section. Several questions were then answered based on the results obtained. Which solutions would you say were hypotonic to that of the eggs? Which of them were hypertonic? Isotonic if there were any? What would you expect to happen if an egg was put into a sixth beaker containing a 50% sucrose solution? Results Graph 1: Weight of Eggs versus Time Graph 2: Change in weight of eggs versus Time Graph 3: Last Minute versus Sucrose Concentration The osmotic pressure in the cells and tissues usually take the same function and illustration as those in vivo tests. This process is usually attained through the use of some controls in the experiment with known concentrations. The relativity of the solutions could then be detected using a very simple comparison exercise just like illustrated above. Both the vitro and the vivo tests take the same parameters in such experiments. This implies that the same results will be viewed if such experiments are carried out on mammalian cells like the shelled eggs cells used in this experiment. The fluid under test could be hypertonic, hypotonic or isotonic to the cell sap of the eggs cells used in this experiment in one way or the other. Just as illustrated in the introductory part of this paper, the hypotonic is the solution that contains a low concentration of the solutes particles. Water will always move away from the hypotonic solution. In a typical cell, the hypotonic solution becomes the reference point or the control in the experiment just like in this experiment. This implies that the solution has lesser particles in comparison to that of intracellular space. The hypertonic solution on the other hand, refers to the solution that contains higher concentration of particles. It refers to the solution that has a higher concentration s compared to that of the intracellular space. Water will always move across the semi permeable membrane into the hypertonic solution in the cellular setting. This simply implies that the hypertonic solution has more concentration of the particles than the intracellular space. Finally, the isotonic solution contains the solutes with the same concentration as those of the other solution in comparison. When these two isotonic solutions are separated by a semi permeable membrane, then there will be a net flow of water across the membranes. Discussion From the results in the section above, it is important to underscore the vitality of the biological membranes in the system of most organisms. It is clear that all biological membranes are indeed semi permeable to specific solutes. This implies that they are selectively permeable to water molecules and other important solutes in the functioning of such organisms. However, their great importance comes in when they are impermeable to several other solutes in the body that are neither important to the cells nor the tissues of the body. These solutes that are impermeable to the biological membranes include solutes like the charged molecules that include ions of Na, K, Ca and Cl. The isotonic solution used in this experiment contained 30 % sucrose and this acted as the control to the experiment. The concentrations below this concentration of the isotonic solution were considered as hypotonic andà these incl.ude the 10 and the 20 % sucrose solutions in the experiment. The other concentrations that were above this isotonic value gave the hypertonic solutions and this was the 40 % sucrose solution. Water molecules moved from the hypotonic solution to the inside of the eggs cells to make them swell and become larger and even a god number of these cells were burst due to the excess osmotic pressure built by the effect of the hypotonic solution. The eggs cells that were placed in the isotonic solution never gave any visible change in their form and structure as the concentrations for the solution and that of the cell sap were similar and equal. Those eggs cells that were placed in the hypertonic solution became flaccid. This was due to the movement of water molecules out of the cell into the hypertonic solution. Indeed, the solution in this case increased in volume as opposed to the hypotonic solution that reduced in volume. Conclusion In a nut shell, the experiment proved successful as the objectives of the practical were met to the letter. The hypothesis also proved valid and in line with the objectives. It implies that the different concentrations of sucrose used in the experiment gave varied effects to the cell sap of the eggs cells. The practical clearly demonstrated the effects and process of osmosis to the eggs cells. It also demonstrated the importance of different solutions to the functioning of the cells and tissues in the body of mammals. This was in response to the process of osmosis in the body.
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