Brownian motion using diluted milk

Set up your own experiment to witness Brownian motion.

What you need: microscope with objective of at least 20 and eyepiece 10, microscope slides
and cover slips, full-cream milk, needle or fine wire, distilled water, petroleum jelly
1. Place a small drop of distilled water in the centre of a microscope slide. (Note: This drop must

be very small so that no water escapes when the cover slip is added.)
2. Dip the needle in the milk, and then quickly dip the tip of the needle with the milk into the drop of
water.
3. Using the needle, carefully stir the milk into the water drop.
4. Use the needle to carefully line the edges of the cover slip with the petroleum jelly.
5. Gently lower the cover slip onto the drop of water containing the milk.
6. Place the microscope slide under the microscope. You should be able to see the tiny oil droplets in
the milk.
7. Wait for the sideways movement of the oil droplets to stop and look for the jiggling motion of the
droplets. If you see this, you are seeing the direct action of water molecules on these oil droplets!