Diffusion Of Molecules

An AskERIC Lesson Plan

Submitted by:Margaret Sorensen, Holy Rosary Elementary School; Idaho Falls, Idaho
Endorsed by: These lesson plans are the result of the work of the teachers who have
attended the Columbia Education Center's Summer Workshop. CEC is a consortium of
teacher from 14 western states dedicated to improving the quality of education in the
rural, western, United States, and particularly the quality of math and science Education.
CEC uses Big Sky Telegraph as the hub of their telecommunications network that allows
the participating teachers to stay in contact with their trainers and peers that they have
met at the Workshops.
Date: May 1994

OVERVIEW/PURPOSE:
l. Molecules in a liquid move.
2. Molecules do not more in any specific direction in a
liquid.
3. A solution is a liquid mixture of two or more
substances in which the substances are completely
mixed.
4. Heat will increase and cold will decrease the speed
of molecular movement in water.
5. Stirring will increase the speed of molecular
movement and the speed with which substances will
dissolve.
6. Rubbing alcohol and soap makes molecules move faster
in water.

OBJECTIVES:
l. To understand molecular movement
2. To develop skills in performing a chemistry
investigation.
3. To develop skills in making hypotheses.
4. To develop observational skills.
5. To develop creativity and imagination in modifying
science investigation.

RESOURCES/MATERIALS:
food coloring, watch, water, eyedroppers, warm water,
rubbing alcohol, dish soap, ice cubes, plastic cups, small
plastic bags

VOCABULARY: dissolve, diffusion, molecules

ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:

l. This activity can be done with an entire class, as a
learning center group activity or as an individual
project. Do not go over the concepts at this point.
This is a discovery activity in which the children
figure out the concepts from the results of the
investigation.
2. Distribute the materials to the students. Each will
 need a clear plastic cup of water and an eyedropper
holding some food coloring for the part of the
experiment. While most of the students are working on
this activity, have your student helpers pass out small
plastic cups of warm or hot water. The alcohol, the
dish soap and the food coloring may be distributed in
containers to be shared. Any colors of food coloring
will work, but red and blue are the easiest colors to
see as they dissolve.
3. Encourage your fast-finishing students to do each
investigation a second time, comparing the speeds and
keeping a record of the results. Children should know
that experiments are checked many times by real
scientists.
4. Place a drop of food coloring in a cup of water. How
many seconds did it take to completely dissolve in the
water?
5. Place one or two ice cubes in the cup of water. Place
a drop of food coloring on an ice cube. What happened?
6. Place a drop of food coloring in the cold water. How
many second did it take for the food coloring to
completely dissolve in the cold water.
7. Place a drop of food coloring in a cup of water. Add a
few drops of alcohol. How did the alcohol affect the
solution?
8. Add a drop of food coloring to a cup of warm water.
How many seconds did it take for the coloring to
dissolve completely in the warm water.
9. Add another drop of food coloring to the water. Then
add a few drops of dish soap to the water. What
happened?

TYING IT ALL TOGETHER:

This activity integrates well with art. Your students can
use markers, colored pencils, crayons or watercolors to draw
their own versions of the designs produces in the cups by
the dissolving food coloring. This makes a very colorful
bulletin board display, especially if the construction paper
the children are is drawing on is cut into the shape of
large cups.