Question

Short definition of diffusion and explain with the help of suitable example

Answer 1

Diffusion is a physical process that refers to the net movement of molecules from a region of high concentration to one of lower concentration. The material that diffuses could be a solid, liquid or gas. Similarly, the medium in which diffusion occurs could also be in one of the three physical states.

The rate of diffusion depends on the nature of interaction between the medium and material. For instance, a gas diffuses very quickly in another gas. An example of this is the way the noxious smell of ammonia gas spreads in air. Similarly, if a canister of liquid nitrogen leaks a little, nitrogen gas that escapes would quickly diffuse into the atmosphere. The same gas would diffuse slightly more slowly in a liquid such as water and slowest in a solid.