Which experimental setup would let a student investigate the connection between kinetic energy and temperature? Choose one answer

Question

a. placing one drop of food coloring in a cup with 50 mL of water at 10 degrees C; placing two drops pf food coloring in a second cup with 100mL of water at 40 degrees C
b. placing one drop of food coloring in a cup with 50 mL of water at 10 degrees C; placing one drop of food coloring in a second cup with 50 mL of water at 40 degrees C
c. placing one drop of food coloring in a cup with with 50mL of water at 10 degrees C; placing one drop of food coloring in a second cup with 100 mL of water at 10degrees C
d. placing one drop of food coloring in a cup with 50 mL of water at 10 degrees C; placing two drops of food coloring in a second cup with 50 mL of water at 10 degrees C

Answer 1

The correct answer is:

b. placing one drop of food coloring in a cup with 50 mL of water at 10 degrees C; placing one drop of food coloring in a second cup with 50 mL of water at 40 degrees C.

This experimental setup allows the student to investigate the connection between kinetic energy and temperature by comparing the diffusion of food coloring in water at different temperatures. The higher temperature (40 degrees C) will result in increased kinetic energy of the water molecules, leading to faster diffusion of the food coloring compared to the lower temperature (10 degrees C), where the kinetic energy is lower. This allows for a clear observation of the effects of temperature on the behavior of particles due to their kinetic energy.