Diffusion Experiment | Chemicals and Chaos

Welcome to another post on my blog. Today in Chemistry, we learnt about the Particle Theory and Diffusion. We had done an experiment about diffusion.

Diffusion is when particles move from high to low concentration. Particles of matter always move. When matter heats up, energy rises and particles move faster. If the matter is cooled, energy is lowered and particles move slower.


Aim: see if hot/cold diffuses faster

Hypothesis: the powder is going to spread in the hot water


Equipment:

1. Petri dish
2. Water
3. Tweezers
4. Powder of potassium permanganate

Method:

1. Half fill your petri dish with cold tap water.
2. Place the petri dish on your work bench and allow the water to become settled.
3. Using the tweezers, place a single powder of potassium permanganate in the centre of the petri dish.
4. Observe for 5 minutes.
5. Repeat the experiment using hot water.

Result:

In cold water: the potassium permanganate powder stays where it was, it did not spread.

In hot water:  the potassium permanganate powder spread when the powder went in.

Discussion:

My hypothesis was correct and my experiment worked out. The potassium permanganate moved faster in hot water because it increases energy and it moved faster. The cold one moved slower because they are not together but slightly apart so they moved slower.