What happens when dried raisins are placed in water and then in sugar solution?

When dried raisins are placed in water and then in a sugar solution, several interesting processes occur:

Rehydration in Water:
When you place dried raisins in water, they absorb the liquid and start to rehydrate. Rehydration is the process in which dried fruits like raisins regain moisture and swell as they absorb water. This causes the raisins to become plump and soft. The dried fruit's wrinkled appearance gradually disappears as it absorbs water.

Osmosis:
The process of rehydration involves osmosis. Osmosis is the movement of water molecules across a semi-permeable membrane (in this case, the surface of the raisin) from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration. In this context, the solute concentration inside the raisin is higher than in the water. As a result, water molecules move into the raisin, causing it to swell.

Placing in Sugar Solution:
When you place the rehydrated raisins in a sugar solution, another interesting process occurs. The sugar solution has a higher solute concentration than the raisin's interior, so water molecules inside the raisin will move out of the raisin and into the sugar solution through osmosis. This can cause the raisin to lose some of its moisture and become slightly dehydrated again.

Overall, the sequence of events would involve the raisins absorbing water and becoming plump when placed in water, followed by some loss of moisture when placed in a sugar solution due to osmosis. The exact degree of rehydration or dehydration will depend on factors like the concentration of the sugar solution and the time the raisins spend in each environment.