EXPERIMENT 1.

1
CORRELATING THE DIFFERENT SIZES OF CUBES TO THE TOTAL SURFACE AREA
AND DETERMINING HOW THE RATIO OF TSA/V AFFECTS DIFFUSION
Aim

To Correlating the different sizes of cubes to the total surface

area/volume (TSA/V) ratio and to study how the TSA/V ratio of affects the
movement of solutes into the interior of cubes.

Problem statement
: ________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Hypothesis
Variable:

: ________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Manipulated :________________________________________________________
Responding :________________________________________________________
Fixed
:________________________________________________________

Materials : 1.0% agar phenolphalein, 0.2M sodium Hydroxide, filter paper

Apparatus : petri dish, scalpel, , tile, ruler, stopwatch, beaker.
BEFORE

Procedure
:
1. The agar are cut cubic of 1 cm, 2 cm and 3 cm
2. The total surface area and volume of each cube are calculated and the values
are recorded in a table
3. Each cube is placed in a beaker.
4. 50 ml of 0.2 M sodium hydroxide solution is poured into each beaker. The
stopwatch is activated immediately.
5. After 5 minutes, the cubes are removed and dried with a filter paper.
6. The percentage portion of the cube which has changed colour is noted and
estimated
Result :
AFTER

Data :

Side
dimensions
of the cube
(cm)

Total
surface
area
(cm2)

Volume
(cm3)

Total surface
area /
volume ratio

Length of
diffusion
(cm)

Percentag
e of
coloured
area (%)

Rate of
diffusion
(% min-1)

1
2
3

Percentage of coloured area

Rate of diffusion

=
Length of diffusion x 100%
Total length of diffusion pathway

Percentage of coloured area (%)

Time taken (min)

Discussion :
1. The total surface area/ volume (TSA/V) ratio __________________ when the size of
the cube increases.
2. The smallest the cube shows the ___________________ percentage portion which
has changed colour after 5 minute.
3. The higher the TSA/V ratio, the ___________________ the percentage portion which
has changed colour after 5 minutes
4. The higher the TSA/V ratio, the _________________ the diffusion rate of sodium
hydroxide solutes into the interior of the cubes.
5. The diffusion rate of sodium hydroxide solutes can be increased by increasing the
________________ of the sodium hydroxide solution.
6. If the ________________________ increased, its TSA/V ratio _____________________.
7. Large
multicellular
organisms
need
to
obtain
and
deliver
their
________________________ to their internal cells. ______________________ is too slow
for respiratory gases and nutrients to be transported throughout the body.
Multicellular
organisms
overcome
this
deficiency
by
having
a
________________________________.
8. In multicellular organisms, a ___________________________ transport system is
needed to transport ________________________ rapidly to the body cells. Waste
products such as __________________________ can be removed quickly.
Conclusion :
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________