Sample Observation

Question

1 The drop of
food coloring
spreads
slowly.
2 The drop of
food coloring
spreads very
quickly.
A student places a drop of
food coloring into two water
samples. Her observations
are shown in the table.
Which statement best
explains the observations in
the table?
The temperature of
sample 2 is higher.
The temperature of
sample 2 is close to
freezing.
The water
molecules of
sample 1 are
moving faster.
The water
molecules of
sample 1 are
transferring more
kinetic energy.

Answer 1

The best explanation for the observations in the table is:

The temperature of sample 2 is higher.

This statement accounts for the observation that the drop of food coloring spreads very quickly in sample 2, suggesting that the higher temperature increases the kinetic energy of the water molecules, allowing the food coloring to disperse more rapidly. In contrast, the slower spread of food coloring in sample 1 implies a lower temperature and, consequently, less kinetic energy in the water molecules.