Experimental Question

What is the effect of the surface area to volume (SA/V) ratio (𝑐𝑚−1 ) of agar cylinders on

the rate of diffusion, measured as the time taken (𝑠) for the agar to transition from pink to white,

at a constant concentration of 10% hydrochloric acid and total submersion?

Results

Table 1

Raw data showing the dimensions of agar cylinders and the color transition time (Tr. Time) in

10% hydrochloric acid.

Variation # Trial Diameter (𝒄𝒎) Height (𝒄𝒎) Tr. Time (𝒔)

1 1.5 4.3 934.30
1 2 1.5 4.3 957.62
3 1.5 4.3 1013.31
1 1.3 4.3 732.62
2 2 1.3 4.3 749.87
3 1.3 4.3 755.31
1 0.9 4.3 525.37
3 2 0.9 4.3 557.83
3 0.9 4.3 564.5
1 0.5 4.3 362.57
4 2 0.5 4.3 373.50
3 0.5 4.3 377.66

Adhering to the provided methodology, we measured the diameters and heights of the

agar cylinders for all variations to, later, calculate their respective SA/V ratio. We also recorded

the time for each cylinder to undergo a complete color transition from pink to white. These

measurements constituted the raw data presented in Table 1.

Hence, the raw data on the dimensions of the cylinders allow for a derivation of their

respective SA/V ratios, such that

𝑆𝐴 2𝜋𝑟ℎ + 2𝜋𝑟 2
= ,
𝑉 𝜋𝑟 2 ℎ
 𝑆𝐴
where represents the SA/V ratio, and 𝑟 and ℎ denoting the radius and height of the cylinder,
𝑉

respectively.
𝑑
Distributing 𝜋𝑟 and substituting 𝑟 with 2 (half of diameter) for simplification,

𝑑
𝜋𝑟 (2ℎ + 2 ( ))
2𝜋𝑟ℎ + 2𝜋𝑟 2 2
=
𝜋𝑟 2 ℎ 𝑑
𝜋𝑟 (( 2) ℎ)

4ℎ + 2𝑑
=
𝑑ℎ
4 2
= + .
𝑑 ℎ

Because the dimensions within each variation were identical, we could use this simplified

expression to calculate the mean SA/V ratio of each variation’s cylinder. For variation 1, for

instance,

𝑆𝐴1 4 2 4 2
= + = + ≈ 3.13.
𝑉1 𝑑 ℎ 1.5 4.3

These processed values, paired with the mean transition time (calculated using the standard mean

∑ 𝑥𝑖
formula 𝑥̅ = ), alongside the standard deviation (SD) (calculated using the SD formula, 𝜎 =
𝑛

(𝑥−𝑥̅ )2
√ ), constitute the analyzable data presented in Table 2.
𝑛−1

Table 2

Processed data with the mean SV/A ratio of agar cylinders and each variation’s mean color

transition time (Trans. Time) and SD. All data rounded to 3 s.f.

Mean SV/A ratio (𝒄𝒎−𝟏 ) Mean Trans. Time (𝒔) SD Trans. Time (𝒔)
3.13 968 40.6
3.54 746 11.8
4.91 549 20.9
8.47 371 7.79
Figure 1

Graph Illustrating the Relationship Between the SA/V Ratio (𝑐𝑚−1 ) of Agar Cylinders and the

Color Transition Time (𝑠) in 10% Hydrochloric Acid

The relationship between mean SA/V ratio (𝑦) and mean transition time (𝑥) was modeled

723
by the reciprocal function, 𝑦 = + 269 {3.13 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 8.47}. The model suggests a sharp
𝑥−2.08

non-linear decrease in color transition time as the SA/V ratio increases. The Coefficient of

Determination (𝑅 2 ≈ 0.994) indicates a near-perfect reciprocal fit, accounting for nearly all

variance in the data while accurately capturing the diminishing rate of change in transition time

as the SA/V ratio increases. This strong correlation supports the rejection of the null hypothesis,
confirming a statistically significant negative relationship between the SA/V ratio and the

transition time. Thus, our experiment demonstrates that a higher SA/V ratio significantly

increases the rate of HCl diffusion.

Discussion

Improvement: Including a Control Group

One significant error of our experiment was the lack of control group. A negative control

group could be implemented by placing an agar cylinder of the largest dimensions (Variation 1,

𝑑 = 1.5 𝑐𝑚, ℎ = 4.3 𝑐𝑚) into a beaker of distilled water. The negative control may attribute the

agar’s color transition exclusively to the diffusion of H+ ions from the acidic environment, thus

truly dependent on the independent variable. Without such a baseline, it could be argued that the

color change stemmed from confounding factors, such as the physical leaching of the indicator

pigment into the HCl or the spontaneous chemical degradation of the dye over time, which

compromises the internal validity of the experiment.

Sources of Errors and Potential Improvements

Additionally, our experiment consisted of several systematic and random errors that may

have compromised its validity and reliability.

A significant source of random error was the subjective observation required to determine

the endpoint of diffusion. The dye transitions gradually from pink to transparent, leaving no

definitive moment when the cylinder can be deemed “completely” colorless. The ambiguity

thereof brings about inconsistent timing across trials because the observer’s perception of such a

“colorless” point may fluctuate, which ultimately increases the SD and skews the mean transition

time. To improve the reliability of the results, digital image analysis software, such as ImageJ,

could be employed to record the diffusion process and establish an RGB color threshold by
which the timer could be stopped automatically upon attainment. In determining quantitatively

whether the agar is “colorless,” the experiment may now achieve higher data reliability.

Besides subjective judgement, our assumption of uniform dimensions for all agar

cylinders within a single variation constitutes another random error. The manual cutting process,

using a cork borer, may have introduced minor discrepancies, and as the SA/V ratio is the

independent variable, even millimetric variations in size mean that the ratio was not perfectly

consistent for every trial. This confounds the reciprocal model because the calculated mean ratio

may not exactly represent the physical reality of each cylinder. To address the error, a vernier

caliper could be used to measure the diameter and height of every individual cylinder to the

nearest 0.01mm before submersion, allowing calculation of the precise SA/V ratio for each

specific trial rather than relying on generalized data. This, in turn, reduces the random error of

manual cutting and improves model fit.

Beyond subjective observation and assumption of identical dimensions, the lack of

thermal regulation during the experiment may have, to a minor extent, confounded the results.

Diffusion is largely dependent on the kinetic energy of particles, and as temperature increases,

the velocity of H+ ions also increase, which leads to a faster rate of diffusion. Because the

experiment was at an ambient room temperature over an extended period, minor fluctuations,

such as those caused by the building’s ventilation system, could have affected the agar’s

diffusion rate between trials. Accordingly, all beakers could be positioned in a thermostatically

controlled water bath set to a constant temperature, which may ensure that the kinetic energy of

the HCl is kept constant across all trials and variations. Hence, SA/V now becomes the sole

factor influencing diffusion rate, guaranteeing internal validity.