107

TheEffectofTemperatureontheRateofDiffusion
Description:Foodcolorspreadsoutmorequicklythroughabowlofwarmwaterthenit
doesthroughabowlofcoldwater.
Concept:Therateofdiffusionofwaterandfoodcolormoleculesisincreasedwhen
temperatureisincreased.Temperatureisameasureofmolecularmotion.
Materials:
2petridishes
Foodcolor
Water
Hotplate
Ice
Styrofoamcup
Insulatedgloves
Procedure:
Beforeclass:startabeakerofwaterboilingandputsomeiceandwaterina
styrofoamcup.
Inclass:pouralittleboilingwaterintoonepetridish(aboutaninchfull),poura
littleicecoldwater,butnoiceintotheother.Setbothonanoverheadprojector.
Putadroportwooffoodcolorintoeachdish.Observe.

Safety:
Weartheinsulatedgloveswhenhandlingthebeakerandpetridishofboilingwater.
Cleanup:Allchemicalscangodownthedrain.
Notes:ProposedandusedbyDr.ReillyinC105,F97.

Alternative:SuggestedbyDr.ClemmerforC101,F98.Filla1LiterErlenmeyerflask
withcoldwaterandaddfoodcolor.Fillanother1LiterErlenmeyerflaskwithhotwater
fromthetap.SetacreditorIDcardoverthemotherofthethefirstcold,coloredflask
andinvert.Setitonthesecondflaskwithhotwater.Thecolorwillquicklymovedown
tothelowerflask.Repeatbutputthecolorinthehotwaterandputthiscolored,hot
waterflaskontopoftheacold,noncoloredflask.Therewillbeverylittlemovementof
colorfromthetopflasktothebottomon.

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