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