Which experimental setup

would let a student
investigate the connection
between kinetic energy and
temperature?
placing one drop of
food coloring in a
cup with 50 mL of
water at 10ºC;
placing two drops of
food coloring in a
second cup with 50
mL of water at 10ºC
placing one drop of
food coloring in a
cup with 50 mL of
water at 10ºC;
placing two drops of
food coloring in a
second cup with
100 mL of water at
40ºC
placing one drop of
food coloring in a
cup with 50 mL of
water at 10ºC;
placing one drop of
food coloring in a
second cup with 50
mL of water at 40ºC
placing one drop of
food coloring in a
cup with 50 mL of
water at 10ºC;

1 answer

To investigate the connection between kinetic energy and temperature using food coloring in water, the most effective experimental setup among the options provided would be:

Placing one drop of food coloring in a cup with 50 mL of water at 10ºC; placing one drop of food coloring in a second cup with 50 mL of water at 40ºC.

This setup allows the student to compare the diffusion of food coloring in two different temperatures of water. Since temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of the molecules, the student can observe how the dye spreads faster in the warmer water (at 40ºC) than in the cooler water (at 10ºC). This difference in diffusion rates illustrates the connection between kinetic energy and temperature, as higher temperatures lead to increased molecular motion and a higher rate of diffusion.