While working in the lab, a student was busy watching the slide under the microscope. After sometime, he realized that his answer sheet was wet with red (safranin) color. He saw that the watch glass containing safranin solution was empty. Why?

Why was his paper wet? Explain with reason.

1 Answer
Jun 27, 2018

Safranin is a liquid stain. It could have spilled, diffused or evaporated.

Explanation:

Look at what the safranin was doing in the experiment. Was the student heating it? It could have evaporated. Were they measuring it, with the wrong tool? Maybe it spilled. Otherwise without any more information, any liquid in an open watch glass could evaporated, diffuse onto the paper if it was touching it, or have spilled onto the paper.

It would help if you explained what experiment was being performed. This would tell us what the watch glass was for, what the stain was doing. Was the paper touching the glass? Otherwise an empty glass, absorbent paper and liquid stain are always a recipe for trouble.