GRADE 8 CHEMISTRY

DIFFUSION
Unit 5 (5.2)
 What is diffusion?

The random movement and

mixing particles are called
Diffusion

Particles are moving all the time

because they have energy
We can define diffusion as
Making a cup of coffee also involves the diffusion
of coffee particles through hot water:
 Factors effecting diffusion:

The spreading of mixing particles by diffusion

depends on three factors:

• Temperature

• Size and mass of the particles

• The state of the substance that are diffusing

Diffusion and particles size and mass:
•This is due to the difference in their
relative molecular masses
•Lighter gas particles can travel faster and
hence further, therefore the lower its
relative mass the faster a gas will diffuse

NH3 molecules have less mass than the HCl molecule, so

diffuse faster, hence the product (a white cloud of
NH4Cl) forms closer to the end where the HCl is