Surface Area to Volume Ratio

How does the surface area to volume ratio affect the rate of complete (pink>colourless)
diffusion of a pink agar cube in a HCl solution?

Ms. Somers
Nour Makarem 12SJM
Tuesday, September 20th, 2016

Surface Area to Volume Ratio

How does the surface area to volume ratio affect the rate of complete (pink>colourless) diffusion of a pink
agar cube in a HCl solution?

Introduction
The movement of materials and heat occurs across the cell surface membrane. The larger the surface
area of the cell, the greater the transport of materials in and out of the cell can be. However the volume of the
cell is where the metabolism occurs. A large volume requires a very large surface area to supply enough
materials or survival. The surface area increases by the square while the volume increases by the cube of the
unit dimension.
This activity utilises agar with an acid-alkali indicator. Alkali has been added to the agar to colourise
the agar. Placing the agar cubes in acid causes a colour change which will be used to measure the rate at
which diffusion occurs.

Hypothesis
If the agar cube with the greater surface area to volume ratio is placed in the beaker with XXmm3 of
HCl then it will achieve the fastest rate of reaction because with this ratio the HCl will take as minimal time
as possible to reach the centre of the agar cube, due to the volume being so small.

Variables
Independent:
The Surface area to volume ratio
of each agar cube.

Dependent:
The rate at which the acid
neutralises the alkaline base
(agar cube) causing the colour to
change completely (pink
>colourless).

Controlled:
Temperature.
HCl volume & concentration.
Kinetic energy applied to cubes.

Materials

1x 50 mm3 Agar Cube.

3x 30 ml Beakers.
1x 100 ml Measuring Cylinder.
1x Petrie dish.

3x Timers.
1x Forceps.
1x 300 ml Hydrochloric Acid (pH 1/ 1mol).
1x Knife.

Photos

Depicting beakers containing HCl &

Agar Cubes.

Procedure
Safety Precautions:
Be careful not to touch your eyes, or mouth as the agar
contains alkali.
Be careful when handling the acid.
1. Cut the agar into cubes of unit dimensions of 10 mm, 20 mm &
30 mm.
2. Record the vital information for each cube.
3. Please enough Hydrochloric Acid (1M HCl) in a beaker are
enough so that all the cubes will be covered with the acid.
4. Add the cubes to the acid and record the time exactly.
5. Record the time when each of the cubes hate complete colour
change.
6. Collect the class data for analysis.
7. Clean up your materials.

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Results
Table 1

Table containing the rate of the reaction of all agar cubes placed in HCl solutions across all trials including
relative uncertainties. Cube 3, Trial 1, is an anomalous result.
Cube Sizes
Cube
#

Surface Area
in mm2 (0.05)

Volume
in mm3 (0.05)

Rate of Reaction (pink> colourless)

Ratio Trial 1
(0.01s)

Trial 2*
(0.01s)

Trail 3*
(0.01s)

Averages

60

10

6:1

4:51.34

4:40.23

4:13.12

4:34.86

240

80

3:1

18:52.40

16:42.85

17:03.79

17:33.01

540

270

2:1

18:30.25

24:38.67

25:10.22

22:46.38

*Acquired from other groups, accuracy my be jeopardised due to incompetence. (only being cheeky)

Graph 1

Graph illustrating the rate of the reaction of all agar cubes placed in HCl solutions in accordance to surface
are to volume ration across all trials including relative uncertainties.
Trial 1

Trial 2

Trial 3

25:10.300

Rate of Reaction

18:52.725

12:35.150

06:17.575

Cube 1

Cube 2

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Cube 3

Conclusion
To conclude, the hypothesis was proven correct. The cubes with the highest surface area to volume
ratio reacted the fastest as seen by cube #1 which had a 6:1 ratio and the fastest time until completion of
reaction. The significance that this conclusion holds is that it re-instates the fact that cells are small for a
reason, that reason being it is much easier to move substances such as energy & waste in and out of the cell
when it has to travel a very small distance. The premise goes as follows:
The more substances that enter, the more chemical reactions take place, the more waste is produced. In
order for more substances to enter, the surface area would have to increase. For the surface area to increase
the volume will also increase. Since the dimensional planes are different, one will increase exponentially
respective to the other. The shape can be a factor of influence, however with most cells being inherently
spherical, this line of reasoning applies. Although more substances can now enter the cell, the rate of particle
travel is hindered due to the vastly larger distance substances now have to venture do to the ratio being
imbalanced.
The data put forth helps to support this idea in cell theory. However there are still some exceptions to
this theory.

Evaluation
Limitations in the design

Improvement

1 The number of trials, in order to increase the

reliability as well s the accuracy of the data.

Increasing the number of trials.

2 The surface area to volume ratio wasnt entirely Using more accurate equipment to measure the
controlled, the ratio may have been a bit skewed. dimensions of the cube.
3

It is noticeable in the photograph that the cube

began reacting from the centre, giving an
anomalous result in Table 1 of 18:00+, this is
due to mishandling of the agar cubes.This can be
improved my a more delicate treatment of these
cubes.

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