How would you compare diffusion with effusion?
Answers
Effusion is the movement of gas molecules from one container to another through a tiny hole. Rates of effusion can be compared at the same temperature using Graham's law. Diffusion is the movement of gas molecules through one or more other types of gas via random molecular motion.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Key Points
Gaseous particles are in constant random motion.
Gaseous particles tend to undergo diffusion because they have kinetic energy.
Diffusion is faster at higher temperatures because the gas molecules have greater kinetic energy.
Effusion refers to the movement of gas particles through a small hole.
Graham’s Law states that the effusion rate of a gas is inversely proportional to the square root of the mass of its particles.
Key Terms
diffusion: movement of particles from an area of high concentration to one of low concentration
mean free path: the average distance traveled by a particle between collisions with other particles
Effusion: movement of gas molecules through a tiny hole