Particle Motion Lab
Name: _____________________________________________ Date: __________ Period: ______
Walk In/Bell Ringer: Use your notes and knowledge to review this portion of the lab before getting
into your group. Answer the few questions together and write the answers on your paper? This
section must be completed before going to the lab.
1. Which state of matter has particles that are attracted to each other the strongest?
a. Solid
b. Liquid
c. Gas
d. Plasma
2. Which state of matter has the most energy?
a. Solid
b. Liquid
c. Gas
d. Plasma
3. Which phase of matter has particles that do not move?
a. Solid
b. Liquid
c. Gas
d. Plasma
e. none of other choices (only happens at absolute zero)
4. One of the best ways to weaken the bonds holding particles together is by
a. heat
b. grinding
c. movement
d. pressure
5. A metal lid was very tightly screwed onto a glass jar. To get the jar open, Kelly held the lid under
hot water. Why was Kelly able to remove the lid?
a. Metal particles move more rapidly when heated so the particles moved further apart,
and the lid became looser.
b. Metal particles move less rapidly when heated so the particles moved closer together,
and the lid became looser.
c. The metal particles did not move. The water loosened the lid.
d. The metal particles melted because the water was so hot.
6. What is Diffusion? (Remember back to our cell unit) Use your book glossary if necessary. How
are particles of matter involved in diffusion?
Group Lab Work:
1. Food Coloring Problem: Does the temperature of a substance (like water) have anything to do
with how fast a substance added will diffuse (spread out and mix)?
a. Materials needed: (Please set aside at your work station.)
- Stopwatch/timer
- 2 1000 ml beakers
- 1 hot plate (Be very careful! They can burn you very easily.)
- Red and Blue Food Coloring (Be very careful! It will stain.)
b. Hypothesis/Prediction:
c. Experiment:
1. Measure out = volumes of water of = temperatures in each 1000ml
beaker. Be exact! Remember a carefully designed experiment tests only the
variable being tested so that you can state the conclusion (what happened) with
confidence.
2. Place one of the beakers on the hot plate and wait for it to boil. You will
have a few minutes of time while waiting for the water to boil. During this time you
are to go back and complete the background section of this lab.
3. After the water in the one beaker has come to a boil, turn off your hot
plate and wait/watch until the water stops boiling and moving. Get the
stop watch ready to time. After the water has stopped lineup the two
beakers sided by side and drop two drops of food coloring in each beaker
at precisely the same time and immediately start the timer. Put two drops
of red in the hot water and two drops of blue in the cold water.
Record and Analyze Data:
Record the time of diffusion of food coloring below.
Hot Water______ min_______ sec
Cold Water_______ min _______sec
d. Conclusion A: What Happened? Be very complete!
e. Conclusion B: Diffusion is the movement of particles from and area of ________
concentration to an area of __________ concentration. Did this process occur in this
demonstration? Explain.
Whole Group Demonstrations:
1. Metal Loop and Ball
a. Does the ball fit in the loop when the ball and loop are cool?
b. We will now heat the ball. What happens? Why?
c. Explain how this demonstration is an example of expansion and contraction.
2. Match in the Room
Explain how this demonstration is an example of the movement of particles.
3. Hot Air Balloon and Density
What makes a hot air balloon rise in air?