A pickle is made by soaking a cucumber in brine, a salt-water solution. What makes the smooth cucumber become wrinkled like a prune?

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of osmosis: Osmosis is the movement of water molecules across a semipermeable membrane from a region of lower solute concentration to a region of higher solute concentration.
2. Recognize the role of brine: Brine is a salt-water solution with a higher solute concentration compared to the water inside the cucumber cells.
3. Explain the movement of water: When the cucumber is soaked in brine, water molecules inside the cucumber cells move out into the brine due to osmosis.
4. Describe the effect on the cucumber: As water leaves the cucumber cells, the cells lose volume, causing the cucumber to shrink and its surface to become wrinkled.
5. Relate the process to the pickle: This loss of water and the wrinkling of the cucumber are part of the pickling process, which preserves the cucumber and gives it its characteristic texture.

Key Concepts

Osmosis

Osmosis is the movement of water molecules through a semipermeable membrane from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration. In the context of pickling, when cucumbers are placed in brine, water moves out of the cucumber cells into the salt solution, causing the cucumbers to lose water and become wrinkled.

Brine Solution

A brine solution is a mixture of water and salt, which creates a hypertonic environment for the cucumbers. The high concentration of salt in the brine draws water out of the cucumbers through osmosis, leading to the dehydration of the cucumber cells and resulting in their wrinkled appearance.

Cellular Structure of Cucumbers

Cucumbers are composed of cells that contain a large amount of water, contributing to their crisp texture. When exposed to brine, the loss of water from these cells alters their structure, causing them to shrink and wrinkle. This cellular change is a direct result of the osmotic process occurring in the presence of the salt solution.