Experiment#2

Brownian Motion

Objective

In this experiment, the focus is on the random motion of particles also known as Brownian motion. We
assume that there will be an inverse relationship between bead size and the diffusion constant, that is, as
the bead size increases, the diffusion constant will decrease. This is because a smaller bead can travel
much faster than a larger bead because a smaller bead has a smaller surface area which makes it easier
for it to move. For this lab experiment, different sized microbeads were analyzed under water using a
microscope. The goal was to find how the beads related to the diffusion and to see if our hypothesis is
correct.

Theory

Robert Brown, a British botanist, reported in 1828 that plant pollen particles in water viewed through a
microscope were in constant, helter-skelter motion. The phenomenon is known as Brownian motion and
can be observed with various microscopic particles in fluids. In 1877, Delsaux. a French physicist, suggested
that the Brownian motion was caused by the bombardment of particles by the molecules of the fluid.
However, this was only a qualitative explanation at a time when some scientists had concerns about the
atomic-molecular theory. Between 1905 and 1908 Einstein developed an elegant and comprehensive
theory of Brownian motion. J Perrin. a French physicist, confirmed by experiment the formulas derived.
One of these was for calculating Avogadro's number

𝑅𝑇𝑡
𝑁=
3𝜋𝜂𝑟𝑠 2

where N is Avogadro's number, R is the universal gas constant, T is the Kelvin temperature of H2O, t is a
constant, observation period, 𝜂 is the viscosity of H20, r is the radius of particle and s is the root mean
square displacement. The theory also predicts that

𝑠 2 = 2𝐷𝑡

where D is the diffusion coefficient. This equation is called the Einstein-Smoluchowski Diffusion Law.
Apparatus

● Microscope

● Silica microbeads in water, 15% glycerin/water solution, and 30% glycerin/water solution

● Petri dish

● AmScope software

● Image J software

We received three different types of samples that were to be tested. The three samples include 5
micrometers, 2 micrometer, and 1 micrometer microbeads in water. Then, the AmScope software was
opened, and the microscope was used to take a better look at each sample. Once we were able to get a
good recording of each sample, the videos were saved. The saved videos were applied to the Image J
software. On Image J, MTrack2 plugin was used and minimum and maximum object size was typed in
leading to data. The data was then transferred to excel sheets.
Each graph or chart is explained. The explanation should include what the graph is showing and how it is
relevant to the argument.

𝑠 2 = 2𝐷𝑡

𝑠2
𝐷=
2𝑡

This is the displacement (s2) vs time (seconds) graph of the 1 um, 2 um, and 5 um silica beads in water. To
determine the points for the graph we took the average displacement of the five data selections (1 data
selection for the 1 um silica bead in water solution), which consisted of multiple s2 values, and plotted
them against time (seconds). Then we were able to calculate a linear trendline for each of the different
size beads and set the y-intercept to 0.00. The formula for calculating the diffusion constant is s2/4T, but
the units are in pixels instead of m2/s. In order to convert these values to the correct units of the diffusion
constant, we were required to convert the slopes from the graph above (1- um = 268.19 pixels2, 2-um=
136.17 pixels2, 5um= 85.035 pixels2) by dividing by 4*5.179. So, now we would have the diffusion constant
from the slope values of this graph. For the 1-um silica ball in water solution, the diffusion constant would
be 2.49972 um2/s. The 2-um silica ball in a water solution would have a diffusion constant of 1.2692 um2/s.
Lastly, the 5-um silica ball in a water solution would have a diffusion constant of 0.79254 um2/s.
This graph represents the diffusion constant (um2/s) vs the 1-um, 2-um, and 5-um silica beads in water. It
is safe to assume that increasing the size of the bead will decrease the diffusion constant as there is a
decrease in the diffusion constant from the graph when the bead size increases from 1 um to 5 um.
Therefore, there is an inverse relationship between bead size and diffusion constant.

Conclusion

From the experiment, we determined that there is an inverse relationship between bead size and diffusion
constant. So, increasing the bead size would decrease the diffusion constant. The reason behind this is
that a smaller molecule would be able to travel faster because it has a much smaller surface area in
comparison to a larger molecule. In larger molecules, there is a greater area that will need to receive the
substance (water in this case) being diffused, which requires a larger expenditure on energy. Our
hypothesis was that increasing the bead size would result in a decrease in the diffusion constant, which is
supported by the data collected. The conclusion explains how the trends observed relate to physics. The
relationship between radius size and diffusion constant is important in physics because Brownian motion
is dependent on factors such as radius size and viscosity. Brownian motion is defined as the random,
uncontrolled movement of particles as they collide with other molecules. However, when the particle
decreases in size and in less viscous solutions, the random movement of a particle increases. Therefore,
by determining the effect of an increase in radius size on diffusion constant, we were able to apply the
results to Brownian motion in physics.