Materials

• Hot plate
• Two 500 mL beakers (or larger)
• Two thermometers
• Water
• Food coloring
• Pipet (long enough to reach the bottom of the beaker)

Procedure

Safety Note: Use precautions when using a hot plate to avoid burns, and always remember to handle hot instruments with care. Be sure to monitor the beaker at all times, and do not leave it unattended.

1. Set up your hot water beaker.
   
   1. Fill one beaker ¾ full with water.
   2. Place the beaker on the hot plate.
   3. Turn the hot plate on. Heat the water to 50 °C.
   4. Use a thermometer to monitor the water temperature.
       
2. Set up your room temperature water beaker.
   
   1. Fill a second beaker ¾ full with water (the same volume as the beaker in Procedure 1).
   2. Place the beaker on a flat table surface.
   3. Use a thermometer to measure the water temperature.
       
3. Draw a picture of your setup.
    
4. Predict what will happen when food coloring is placed in the bottom of the beaker with room temperature water.
   
   1. Consider the effects of convection currents.
   2. Draw you predictions.
   3. Use arrows to show how you expect water will move.
       
5. Predict what will happen when food coloring is placed in the bottom of the beaker with hot water. Follow Procedure 4a–c.
    
6. Use a pipet to place food coloring at the bottom of the room temperature beaker. Record your observations.
    
7. Use a pipet to place food coloring at the bottom of the heated beaker. Record your observations.