The smell of hot, freshly cooked food reaches us from the kitchen faster than the smell of cold food. Why?

Hot air is heavier and sinks towards usCorrect answerYour answerCold food has no smell at allCorrect answerYour answerHeat makes the smell particles biggerCorrect answerYour answerParticles move faster at a higher temperature, so they diffuse fasterCorrect answerYour answer

Show the answer and explanation

CorrectNot quiteAnswer D

Correct answer: D

Smell reaches us by diffusion: the particles spread through the air.
Heating gives the particles more kinetic energy, so more of them escape and they spread faster.

Worth noting

Hot air rises, it does not sink; the effect is about particle speed.

Concept: Diffusion and temperature
Typical timeTypical: 60 s
Your timeYours: —

The rule this testsMatter and its states

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Ten questions from Everyday Chemistry, at your own pace.

The smell of hot, freshly cooked food reaches us from the kitchen faster than the smell of cold food. Why?

Explanation