What can the smell of popcorn teach us about chemistry?

GABRIELLA’S CLAIM

Gabriella had just arrived home from school. As she opened the apartment door she knew right away that Tac, her brother, had been making his favorite snack, microwave popcorn, because she could smell its buttery aroma even at the door. She called out, “I’d like some of your popcorn, Tac!” Tac said he hadn’t made any but Gabriella called back, “I know you have!” Do you know how Gabriella could be so sure Tac had made popcorn? He’d finished making it at least 5 minutes before Gabriella arrived home!

You can understand how Gabriella could smell the popcorn that Tac had made if you investigate the idea of diffusion. Diffusion describes how particles of matter move through other liquids and gases (including air). Diffusion explains how the mass of particles and temperature are related to how quickly particles spread out over an area. You will be examining these factors in the following computer program.