Diffusion Lab Project report

In the science lab, a key term that all scientist use is diffusion.  Diffusion is making a substance, like a strong chemical, less concentrated.  During this process molecules are able to find more space to spread out into.  In addition, the strength of a chemical also tells the concentration of a chemical as well.  The concentration of a chemical is the strength of the substance.  A key element that supports diffusion is water.  Water makes chemicals more diluted therefore the chemical is not as powerful.  Dilution is another way to make a chemical less concentrated.  The water is able to make the chemical less concentrated because of osmosis.  Osmosis is the movement of water molecules.  For example, in a lab when a scientist is mixing iodine and water together that is osmosis.  A project that all these key terms are used in is the corn starch and iodine project.  The scientists left the bag of corn starch in a beaker filled with iodine and water for fifteen minutes.  The result or when you know the reaction is complete is the indicator.  For example, if the substance stays or changes from different colors that is the indication that the reaction is done.  Lastly, the scientist also noticed that the iodine was more stronger than many chemicals.  A substance that is stronger than others is a hypertonic.  In this lab the bag used to hold the corn starch is the hypotonic because the bag is weaker than the corn starch.  Finally, a substance that is isotonic is equally as strong as the other substances.  Going on more about this project, scientist had many purposes and prediction for the project.  The purpose for this project is to see what happens when you mix corn starch and iodine together.  The prediction for this project was that the corn starch or iodine would change color.  However, were these scientist prediction correct?

The result of the project was that the corn starch turned purple while the iodine became a little lighter.  This happened because of the permeable membrane.  The permeable membrane  allowed the small iodine molecules to go through the bag and into the corn starch.  The iodine was able to go through the bag because the water was able to make the iodine less concentrated so which allowed the iodine to go through the bag.  This is like the cell membrane.  The cell membrane controls movement in and out of the cell which is just like the bag.  However, instead of iodine, the cell membrane lets food and water molecules in.  If the cell membrane did not let the food and water molecules through our body would not be able to get protein, energy, and nutrients which would mess up our bodies.  Therefore, it is important to learn the way of how our body works because if something goes wrong people will have a better understanding of how to fix it.

With this concept in people minds, society is able to think of other items that relate to the corn starch and iodine project.  Firstly, is the Lysol disinfecting spay.  When a person presses the button and layer of chemical mist form.  The is like diffusion because the chemical is able to get out of a tight spot and spread out in a more open area.  Secondly, is a water balloon.  When a water balloon crashes into the ground and pops that is also like diffusion.  The water is first concentrated into a balloon but then spreads out all over the place when it hit’s the ground and pops.  Thirdly, is smoke in a chimney.  When fire is burning smoke is released and the only place the smoke could go is up the chimney.  This is like diffusion because the smoke is so conceal in a small area but when it reaches the sky it spreads out because there is more room for the smoke to go. Lastly, is iced tea.  When making iced tea from a packet you have a very concentrated powder but when you put water on it becomes more diluted.  This is an example of osmosis because water molecules are used to mix or make the powder less concentrated.  In conclusion, diffusion and all those key terms aren’t just important in the lab but anywhere in the world.  We need to know how our body works and we must understand that we use these concepts in out everyday lifestyle.