What happens to the sugar molecules when it is diluted?

Question

are the molecules moving???

Answer 1

Molecules are in constant random motion.  That's part of the kinetic molecular theory.

Molecules of sugar in an aqueous solution move even more.  They are jostled about by other moving molecules, the water molecules.

And molecules can continue moving EVEN at absolute zero.  At absolute zero molecules reach their MINIMUM amount of motion.

===== Follow up ======

Dear Discombobulated,

Perhaps the name is appropriate, and perhaps you are still operating at a sixth grade level.   I'm sure that at the sixth grade they don't teach much about quantum theory.  Quantum theory requires that even at absolute zero (which is unattainable, by the way) that there be the possibility of kinetic energy (energy of motion).  This, for obvious reasons, is called the "zero point energy".  This is why we say that energy has reached in minimum.  The minimum could be zero, but because of the random effects of quantum theory, it doesn't have to be.

Read more at:

"According to classical physics, all motion would cease at absolute zero; however, the quantum-mechanical uncertainty principle requires that there be a small amount of residual motion (zero-point motion) even at absolute zero."

http://www.answers.com/topic/absolute-ze...

and this:

"Absolute zero ... is the minimum possible temperature: the state in which all motion of the particles in a substance has minimum motion."

http://science.jrank.org/pages/6/Absolut...

and more:

"If an object were to reach a temperature of absolute zero, random molecular motions would be at their minimum possible level."

http://physics.suite101.com/article.cfm/...

and even more:

http://www.everything2.com/e2node/Absolu...

http://scienceworld.wolfram.com/physics/...