Difference Between Osmosis

and Diffusion
PUBLISHED JULY 22, 2021 · UPDATED JULY 22, 2021

Difference Between Osmosis and Diffusion

Difference Between Osmosis and

Diffusion
Diffusion:
Diffusion is defined as the net movement of components from higher concentration region to the lower
concentration region at the given condition parameters such as Pressure & Temperature. Diffusion
process utilizes concentration gradient ( concentration difference) as the major deriving force. Diffusion
process can be performed naturally or by means of external force.

Properties of Mass transfer Operation:

 Diffusion process which plays important role in successive distillation process operation, distillation
helps to diffusion of the component which is highly volatile to vapor phase region, whereas the low
volatile region to the vapour to liquid phase.
 Gas absorption process: gas absorption operation in which solute gas is diffused from the gas to the
Liquid by passing through the interface level as well.
 Crystallization operation: Process in which solid crystal particle diffused away from the mother liquor
solution to crystal & then deposition of solid surface.

Examples of diffusion process:

 Crystal formed potassium permanganate which got diffused into the water solution & turns the color
to blue.
 Molecules of perfumes which is packed inside the spray bottle is diffused into the air & reaches to
nose via odour of the perfume.
Types of Diffusion process:
generally there are two types of Diffusion process are described below:

 Molecular diffusion: diffusion of molecule is due to their thermal energy. Rate of diffusion is very
slow in this mode. It can be explained by kinetic theory.
 Rate of diffusion. = Total distance travelled / unit time
 Ways to increase molecular diffusion: increase in temperature cause the high motion in molecules
with each other so does the rate of diffusion increases.
 Reducing the pressure which reduce the no of collision of the molecules with each other & increase
net free mean path by which diffusion rate gets higher.
 Eddy diffusion: Eddy diffusion can be simply understand by the example mentioned below:
Rate of evaporation of water at 25 degree Celsius in complete vacuum is found about 3.3 Kg/m2S of
water surface but if we place a stagnant layer of Air at 1 atmospheric pressure & 0.01 m thickness
above the water surface the diffusion rate would gets lower by 600 times.

Actually molecular diffusion is Eddy diffusion in following manner:

Take a container which height is about 1.5 m which is filled by the lower half with salt solution & upper
half by the water solution & kept it undisturbed, from the data calculation sallt concentration will reach
at the top of container about 87% in 10 years, while for reaching it about 99% it will take about 30
years.

Optional or alternate modes:

if we places stirrer into the solution the container & running at 2o RPM which takes about 10 minutes to
reach at the top of layer of salt concentration.

Osmosis:
Osmosis is process in which gives pathways or space or move up of solvent molecules by the means of
permeable membrane. Osmosis principally involves of movement of molecules from lower to higher
concentration regions. Solvent part of solution is moved to the solute part in an Osmosis operation.

Osmosis can be performed in biological system, biological system uses the semi- permeable membrane
for the osmosis process. Feasibility of the permeable impermeable membrane is purely dependent over
the various factors which are following —–size of molecules – for larger size of molecules or polar
molecules is impermeable, for molecules of smaller size it becomes permeable. Other factors on which
permeability of membrane is depends solubility, solute size & charge or chemistry.

Concept of osmosis
Osmosis operation carried out when membrane that is partially permeable, used membrane may be cell
type which is induced or held beneath the water surface (under the water level) for movement of water
molecules from low concentration solute region to high concentration solute region to complete
successive operation.

Case I: Cell membrane contains pure water on the both sides, then these water molecules can 0ass in &
out in the each every possible direction.

Diffusion Osmosis

Diffusion doesn’t requires the permeable
membrane for operation.
Movement of molecules from the higher
concentration region to the lower concentration
region.
Osmosis process requires the semi-permeable
membrane for the separation.
Osmosis process involves the movement of
molecules from the low concentration to high
concentration region.
Movement of solute & solvent molecules is
possible in diffusion process.
Diffusion is fast process.
Diffusion can be performed or applicable for
solid, liquid & gases.
Diffusion can be performed in any medium.
Movement of solvent molecules is applicable in
the osmosis process.
Osmosis process is quite slow in comparison with
Diffusion operation.
Osmosis applicable for the solvent part of
molecules in solution.
Osmosis process requires mandatory presence of
liquid medium.