Unit 2.

Particles and Atomic Structure

Syllabus Ref. 1

Diffusion in liquids

Class practical
This class practical shows that diffusion takes place in liquids. Students place colourless crystals of lead nitrate and
potassium iodide at opposite sides of a Petri dish of deionised water. As they dissolve and diffuse towards each other they
form clouds of yellow lead iodide.

Lesson organisation
This practical activity takes around 30 minutes.

Apparatus

Chemicals

Eye protection.
Per pair or group
of students:
Petri dish
Forceps
White tile or
piece of white
paper

Lead nitrate (TOXIC, DANGEROUS FOR THE

ENVIRONMENT), 1 crystal
Potassium iodide, 1 crystal
Deionised water
Refer to Health & Safety and Technical notes
section below for additional information.

Health & Safety and Technical notes

Read our standard health & safety guidance

Wear eye protection.
Lead nitrate, Pb(NO3)2(s), (TOXIC, DANGEROUS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT) - see CLEAPSS Hazcard.
Potassium iodide, KI(s), - see CLEAPSS Hazcard.

Procedure
a Place a Petri dish on a white tile or piece of white paper. Fill it nearly to the top with deionised water.
b Using forceps, place a crystal of lead nitrate at one side of the petri dish and a crystal of potassium iodide at the other.
c Observe as the crystals begin to dissolve and a new compound is formed between them.

Teaching notes
The lead nitrate and potassium iodide each dissolve and begin to diffuse through the water. When the lead ions and iodide ions
meet they react to form solid yellow lead iodide which precipitates out of solution.
lead nitrate + potassium iodide lead iodide + potassium nitrate
Pb (aq) + 2I- (aq) PbI2 (s)
The precipitate does not form exactly between the two crystals. This is because the lead ion is heavier and diffuses more slowly
through the liquid than the iodide ion.
The demonstration A

solid-solid reaction involves the same reaction but in the solid state.

Health & Safety checked, September 2014

Credits
This Practical Chemistry resource was developed by the Nuffield Foundation and the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Nuffield Foundation and the Royal Society of Chemistry

Page last updated October 2015