Question

Effect of Heat on Diffusion

1) What conclusion might you make concerning the effect of temperature on diffusion time?

Diffusion of a liquid in a liquid

1) Does the net movement of molecules slow down as equilibrium is reached? Why/ Why not?

2) Does net diffusion come to an end? Why/ Why not?

Answer 1

1. Diffusion is the process of random movement of molecules from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration until an equilibrium concentration is achieved on both the sides.

The process of diffusion is dependent upon the kinetic energy of diffusing particles which is further dependent upon the temperature. As the temperature increases, the kinetic energy which is the energy of movement of particles also increases. Because of this the rate of diffusion will also increase.

2. Diffusion is dependent upon the concentration gradient of the molecules on the two sides. Steeper the concentration gradient, higher will be the rate of diffusion. As the concentration gradient becomes less steep, the concentration of molecules on both the sides becomes less, the rate of diffusion also decreases.

Initially, when the concentration gradient is steep, the rate of diffusion is high. But as the concentration gradient becomes less steep, the rate of diffusion also decreases.

3. Net diffusion comes to an end but movement of molecules never come to an end. Net diffusion ends because now the concentration of molecules on both the sides are equal and therefore no net diffusion will take place. Molecules are still moving from one side to the other, but the rate of movement of molecules on both the sides is equal and that is why the net diffusion is zero.

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