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Diffusion Assignment

1) Diffusion is the process by which solutes like sugar move from an area of high concentration to low concentration until an equilibrium is reached. This explains why the sugar distributes evenly throughout a glass of lemonade. 2) A simulation experiment showed that temperature affects the rate of diffusion, with higher temperatures leading to faster rates of diffusion as particles move toward equilibrium more quickly. 3) Diffusion explains the passive transport of molecules across cell membranes, as molecules move from areas of high concentration outside the cell to lower concentrations inside.

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Ashley Kyaw
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2K views

Diffusion Assignment

1) Diffusion is the process by which solutes like sugar move from an area of high concentration to low concentration until an equilibrium is reached. This explains why the sugar distributes evenly throughout a glass of lemonade. 2) A simulation experiment showed that temperature affects the rate of diffusion, with higher temperatures leading to faster rates of diffusion as particles move toward equilibrium more quickly. 3) Diffusion explains the passive transport of molecules across cell membranes, as molecules move from areas of high concentration outside the cell to lower concentrations inside.

Uploaded by

Ashley Kyaw
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Diffusion Assignment

How is the making of lemonade similar to the processes of your


cell? Let’s explore and see if we can answer that question.
Concentration is a term used to describe the amount of solute put into a solvent. When something is
concentrated, there is a lot of solute in the solvent. You have a lot of experience with this if you have
ever made lemonade- the kind you get from a powder mix. The powder is essentially sugar. In this
example, the sugar is the solute and the water is the solvent. If you put a lot of sugar in your mixture,
you would call it “concentrated”, and it would taste sweet. If you only put in a little sugar, it would not
taste sweet and you would describe it as “dilute”. After you make your mixture, you’ll notice that the
first sip you take is as sweet (concentrated) as the last sip. The reason for that is diffusion. Diffusion is
the process where solutes (in this case, sugar) of a solution move from a region of high concentration to
a region of low concentration.

In this investigation, you will explore the process of diffusion and factors that affect the rate of diffusion.

Part 1: Understanding Diffusion


1) Go to the Phet Diffusion Lab. Open the lab and orient yourself to all the variables you
can manipulate.
2) Select all the variables and analysis tools (data, stopwatch, scale, center of mass) so
your screen matches the image below.

1) Make a prediction about what will happen when you remove the divider. Now, remove
the divider. Was your prediction correct? Explain.
Both sides after removing the divider will have an even amount of particles. The
prediction is correct because particles will move from higher concentration to lower
concentration.

2) How did you know when the simulation was “finished”. In other words, if you were to time
how long it took for the molecules to move from one side of the divider to the other, how
would you know when to stop the timer?
It took 15.2 ps for the molecules to move from one side of the divider to the other. If
one of the particles reaches to the other side of the divider,then we need to stop the
stopwatch to get how long it takes to reach the other side.

3) Do the molecules ever stop moving? Explain.


No, because the particles are bouncing back after colliding whether the wall or with the
particles so the movement of molecules are in random motion.

4) Can you describe how and why the molecules move from one side to the other?
The molecules move from one side to the other because of the kinetic energy which
the particles move randomly .

The process described above is called diffusion. It is the concept behind passive transport in
cells. It explains why molecules move from one side of the cell membrane to the other.
Essentially, molecules will move from a region of high concentration to a region of low
concentration until equilibrium is reached. It doesn’t mean molecules stop moving, it means that
there is at equilibrium which means there is no net movement of molecules from one side of the
barrier to the other.

Part 2. Let’s experiment with some of the factors that


affect the rate of diffusion; that is, how quickly will
molecules reach equilibrium.
Investigating the effect of temperature on on the rate of diffusion:
1) Click the green button again and “reset the divider”.
2) Set the number of blue particles to 100.
3) Change the movement to “slow” so you can be more accurate.
4) Change the initial temperature to 100 (given in Kelvins).
5) Remove the divider, start the timer, and then press the play button. Press pause when
the no. of blue molecules on the left side of the divider is the same as they are on the
right. Record the time in the table below.
6) Complete the table by increasing the temperature as described in the table. Remember
to reset the timer each time!

Results

Complete the table

Temperature (K) Time to equilibrium

100 41.91

200 37.5

300 25.84

400 21.75

Draw a graph illustrating your results. Insert it here:

Conclusion:

How did the temperature affect the rate of diffusion? Describe AND explain your results.

In this experiment, what was the:

Independent Variable - temperature is the independent variable


Dependent Variable -the time it takes
Control Variables -

Evaluation:

Were there any inaccuracies in your experiment? How would you improve next time?
What other factors affect the rate of diffusion? Describe and explain their effects on the rate of
diffusion.

EXTENSION: Part 3. How will two different particles


affect diffusion?
1) Set up the simulation using two different particles. Place 100 particles on each side as
shown below:

2) Notice there are now the same number of particles on the left as on the right. Predict if
there will be a net movement. Explain your reasoning.

3) Remove the divider. Explain what happened.

Particles move into your cells because of the process described above. Where there is a region
of high concentration of particles or molecules, they will move into lower concentrations. This is
why oxygen can move from your lungs into your bloodstream and then from your bloodstream to
individual cells. Just as sugar moves to equilibrium in your lemonade, molecules move toward
equilibrium in the cells of your body.

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