Question

write the decreasing order of rate of diffusion among the following. a) chlorine gas b) nitrogen gas c) hydrogen gas d) helium gas

Answer 1

The rate of diffusion is inversely proportional to the square root of the molecular mass of a gas.

This means that the larger the molecular mass the heavier the gas and thus the slower the rate of diffusion.

To solve this question, we will determine the molecular mass of each gas.

1.) Chlorine gas : 35.5 × 2 = 71

2.) Nitrogen gas : 14 × 2 = 14

3.) Hydrogen gas : 1 × 2 = 2

4.) Helium : 4

The gas with the largest molecular mass has the lowest rate whereas the gas with the lower molecular mass has the fastest rate.

To arrange this in decreasing order, we begin with the fastest to the slowest.

This is as follows :

Hydrogen, Helium, Nitrogen and then Chlorine