Answers Worksheet
Diffusion: moving particles
Task A: Substances and particle movement
1. Predict what will happen to the dye and the water.
● The dye will spread through the water, causing the
water to change colour.
2. Explain why you think this will happen.
● The water and dye are made of particles.
● The particles of water and dye are constantly moving.
● The particles of water and dye move randomly in all directions.
● This movement of the dye and water particles causes them to mix.
Task B: Concentration and net movement
I think you can make iced tea by You need to use hot water and stir, or you
leaving a tea bag in cold water. will end up with just water.
Sofia Jacob
Sofia is correct. This is because:
● The tea is made up of particles.
● The tea particles are constantly moving, without needing any extra energy from being heated
up.
● There is a concentration gradient between tea bag where tea particles are in higher
concentration, and the water where they are in lower concentration.
● Diffusion will take place because there will be a net movement of tea particles down the
concentration gradient from the bag into the water.
● The tea particles will become evenly mixed in the water.
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Answers Diffusion: moving particles Worksheet
Task C: Diffusion in cells
Add arrows to the diagram and explain in words how the particles of sugar get to the
mitochondria.
particles of sugar
cytoplasm mitochondria
Particles of sugar constantly move in random directions.
The net movement of sugar particles is from the area of high concentration near the cell membrane
to areas of lower concentration in the centre of the cytoplasm.
Through this movement, the sugar particles diffuse through the cytoplasm to the mitochondria.
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