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Plant & Animal CellsActivity for Kids

Cell Diffusion Model DIY

Duration: 30-45 min
Difficulty: Medium
Cost: $0 to $15

Make color-changing gelatin blocks to model diffusion!

Visit The Full Lesson Download Instructions as PDF

Material List

1/4Red Cabbage
4Cups of water
4Packets of gelatin
1Teaspoon of ammonia
1Cup of vinegar
1Blender
1Strainer
1Pot
1Plastic knife
1Ruler
2Tupperware containers

Instructions

1Blend ¼ of a red cabbage in 4 cups of water for 1 min.
2Strain the mixture into a pot and heat until almost boiling.
Warning:Use caution and an adult’s help when heating.
3Stir 4 packets of gelatin (~28 grams) into the heated mixture.
4Transfer the mixture into a plastic container and stir in 1 teaspoon of ammonia.
Warning:Ammonia has a strong odor. Once mixed in, the odor goes away.
5Place the mixture in the fridge overnight.
6Cut out 3 gelatin cubes: 2cm, 1cm, and 0.5 cm cubed
7Add the cubes into a bowl of vinegar and observe.

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How It Works

The vinegar molecules move into the gelatin cubes through a process called "diffusion." This causes the color to change due to the red cabbage juice. Diffusion is when molecules randomly vibrate from areas of high concentration to areas of low concentration. Diffusion in and out of the gelatin cubes happens more quickly in the smaller ones. This is why it is an advantage for cells to be tiny: molecules can diffuse in or out much faster.