Physics Biology (everthing is relevant)
Diffusion High temperature means
faster diffusion
Gases > Liquids > Solids
for relative diffusion
speeds
For gases I think it's fair-
game for them to have
you link "temperature of a
gas reflects the average
kinetic energy of gas
1 (NH3) will diffuse faster.
molecules" and 2 𝑚𝑣 2 in
order to calculate ratio of
speed vs ratio of mass:
E.g for the NH3 + HCl
experiment
The two gases are at same
temperature so their
molecules have the same
(average) kinetic energy:
1 1
𝑚 𝑣 2
2 1 1
= 2 𝑚2 𝑣2 2
𝑣2 𝑚1
=√
𝑣1 𝑚2
Chemistry
Diffusion that doesn't involve a membrane / interface
include gas exchange at the stomata. The rules that govern
rate are the physics rules:
Temperature – high temperature means fast diffusion rate;
Humidity – high humidity in the surrounding air makes
water less likely to evaporate off the mesophyll cell surface
Concentration gradient affects the rate of diffusion, with
or without a membrane. In the case of water loss, a windy
day means water vapor that exits the stomata keeps
getting blown away. Therefore a steep concentration
gradient of water vapor is maintained.
Concentration gradients can also be maintained by
1) counterflowing currents e.g. in kidney dialysis machine
or in placenta, or
2) short diffusion distances e.g. thin-shaped red blood cells
allows oxygen from outside of an RBC to find a hemoglobin
inside the RBC quickly
Diffusion rate of a substance (not of a molecule) also
depends on available surface area. More surface area of
the interface means more opportunities for materials to
diffuse to where they need to. Examples are capillary-
alveoli interfaces or root hairs.
Diffusion rate also depends on membrane permeability.
For example, ADH makes the collecting duct more
permeable hence osmosis (diffusion of water) at the
collecting duct back into tissue fluids increases.
Diffusion according to kinetic theory is
identical to physics (High temp means
faster diffusion and
Gases > Liquids > Solids for diffusion
speed)
In addition to kinetic theory, you have
to know that when two gases are
allowed to diffuse into empty space /
into air / into each other (e.g. NH3 +
HCl glass tube experiment), the gas
that contains the lighter molecule
Gas-gas diffusion is a technique for
separating gases with different
molecular masses
Chromatographic separation is based
on different rates of diffusion of
dissolved solute along paper. This
diffusion rate depends a lot on the
intermolecular force between the
solute and the paper.