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Diffusion: Absolute Zero Concentration Viscosity Mixture

According to kinetic molecular theory, gaseous particles are in constant random motion. Diffusion refers to the movement of particles from areas of high concentration to low concentration, driven by temperature and particle size. Over time, diffusion results in homogeneous mixtures. Effusion is the process by which gaseous particles can move through small openings due to their small size and high kinetic energy. For effusion to occur, the opening must be smaller than the mean free path of the gas particles. Graham's law states that the ratio of the rates of effusion for two gases is equal to the square root of the inverse ratio of their molar masses.

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27 views

Diffusion: Absolute Zero Concentration Viscosity Mixture

According to kinetic molecular theory, gaseous particles are in constant random motion. Diffusion refers to the movement of particles from areas of high concentration to low concentration, driven by temperature and particle size. Over time, diffusion results in homogeneous mixtures. Effusion is the process by which gaseous particles can move through small openings due to their small size and high kinetic energy. For effusion to occur, the opening must be smaller than the mean free path of the gas particles. Graham's law states that the ratio of the rates of effusion for two gases is equal to the square root of the inverse ratio of their molar masses.

Uploaded by

Naqiey Lulu
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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DIFFUSION

According to Kinetic Molecular Theory, gaseous particles are in a constant state of motion, moving at
random speeds and in many different directions. Because of their kinetic energy at temperatures
above absolute zero, all particles undergo diffusion.
Diffusion refers to the process of particles moving from an area of high concentration to one of low
concentration. The rate of this movement is a function of temperature, viscosity of the medium, and
the size (mass) of the particles. Diffusion results in the gradual mixing of materials, and eventually, it
forms a homogeneous mixture.

EFFUSION
Not only do gaseous particles move with high kinetic energy, but their small size enables them to
move through small openings as well; this process is known as effusion. For effusion to occur, the
hole's diameter must be smaller than the molecules' mean free path (the average distance that a
gas particle travels between successive collisions with other gas particles). The opening of the hole
must be smaller than the mean free path because otherwise, the gas could move back and forth
through the hole.
Effusion is explained by the continuous random motion of particles; over time, this random motion
guarantees that some particles will eventually pass through the hole.

Graham's Law
Scottish chemist Thomas Graham experimentally determined that the ratio of the rates of effusion for
two gases is equal to the square root of the inverse ratio of the gases' molar masses. This is written
as follows:

rate of effusion gas 1rate of effusion gas 2=M2M1

where M represents the molar mass of the molecules of each of the two gases.

The gases' effusion rate is directly proportional to the average velocity at which they move; a gas is
more likely to pass through an orifice if its particles are moving at faster speeds.

Derivation of Graham's Law


Graham's Law can be understood as a consequence of the average molecular kinetic energy of two
different gas molecules (marked 1 and 2) being equal at the same temperature. (Recall that a result of
the Kinetic Theory of Gases is that the temperature, in degrees Kelvin, is directly proportional to the
average kinetic energy of the molecules.) Therefore, equating the kinetic energy of molecules 1 and 2,
we obtain:
12m1v21=12m2v22

m1v21=m2v22
v21v22=m2m1
v1v2=m2m1

The rate of effusion is determined by the number of molecules that diffuse through the hole in a unit of
time, and therefore by the average molecular velocity of the gas molecules.

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