FLOW DIAGRAM
Students are often so caught up in the details of an experiment that they lose sight of the bigger picture
and the reasons for the various procedures that they required to do. The purpose of the flow diagram is to
help you, the student, to define the purpose of each step. The flow diagram assists you to track your
progress through the experiment. An example of a flow diagram for a well-known activity is shown below:
FLOW DIAGRAM FOR MAKING A CUP OF TEA
What’s needed?
Kettle Mug
Milk
Teaspoon
Water Teabag
Sugar Dustbin
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: Thank-you to Mr Shane Stone, Department of Chemistry, University of Cape
Town; for permission to use his “Making a Cup of Tea” flow diagram.