======Diffusion in Hot and Cold Water====== **Materials: **{{$demo.materials_description}}\\ **Difficulty: **{{$demo.difficulty_description}}\\ **Safety: **{{$demo.safety_description}}\\ \\ **Categories:** {{$demo.categories}} \\ **Alternative titles:** Hot and Cold: Molecules in Motion ====Summary==== {{$demo.summary}} ====Procedure==== - Fill one glass halfway with very cold tap water. - Fill another glass halfway with very hot tap water. - Predict how the food coloring will behave differently in hot and cold water. - At the same time, add 2–3 drops of food coloring into each glass without stirring. - Observe how the food coloring spreads in each glass. Compare the differences in diffusion rates. ====Links==== Demonstration - Hot & Cold Diffusion - Mr Z Physical Science: {{youtube>GXGfS0XA_Hg?}}\\ Food Coloring + Hot and Cold Water - Scott Milam: {{youtube>Z6PB7IKeHs4?}}\\ 📄 Hot and Cold: Molecules in Motion - Liberty Science Center: [[https://lsc.org/news-and-social/news/hot-and-cold-molecules-in-motion]]\\ ====Variations==== * Heat or cool the food coloring itself in a water bath before adding it to water to see if its temperature affects diffusion. * Compare results using salt water instead of plain water. * Try the experiment with other liquids such as oil, vinegar, or juice to see if diffusion behaves differently. * Test how stirring affects diffusion compared to letting it occur naturally. ====Safety Precautions==== * Adult supervision is required when handling hot water. * Be careful not to spill water or food coloring on skin or surfaces. * Clean up spills promptly to avoid staining. * Pour water down the sink and wash glasses thoroughly after the experiment. ====Questions to Consider==== * Why does the food coloring diffuse faster in hot water than in cold water? * How does molecular motion explain the difference between hot and cold water diffusion? * How is diffusion important in the human body, for example in oxygen exchange in the lungs? * Would the diffusion rate change if the water volume or container size were different?