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2_diffusion

The document explains diffusion as the random movement and mixing of particles, illustrated through examples like cooking food and experiments with gases and liquids. It highlights factors affecting diffusion speed, including temperature, particle size, and the state of matter, noting that diffusion occurs fastest in gases and slowest in solids. Evidence from historical experiments, such as Robert Brown's observations of pollen grains, supports the concept of diffusion.

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24 views2 pages

2_diffusion

The document explains diffusion as the random movement and mixing of particles, illustrated through examples like cooking food and experiments with gases and liquids. It highlights factors affecting diffusion speed, including temperature, particle size, and the state of matter, noting that diffusion occurs fastest in gases and slowest in solids. Evidence from historical experiments, such as Robert Brown's observations of pollen grains, supports the concept of diffusion.

Uploaded by

pradeepsrec
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Explaining diffusion

5.2 Diffusion
Rebekah is cooking dinner for her family. air particle
Objectives Very soon, everyone in the house can smell
■ Use the particle theory to the food. Why?
explain diffusion
Food particles evaporate as Rebekah is
■ Describe evidence for diffusion cooking. They move around randomly in
food particle
the air, and spread out. The food particles
mix with air particles. Soon there are
food particles all over the house. Some of
the food particles enter your nose, which
detects the smell.
The random movement and mixing of
particles is called diffusion. Particles move
because they have energy. You do not need
to move or stir to make diffusion happen.
The speed of mixing by diffusion depends on three factors:
● temperature
● size and mass of the particles
● the states of the substances that are diffusing.

Diffusion and temperature


Particles from warm food diffuse more quickly than those from cool food.
The warmer particles have more energy, so they move faster.

Diffusion and particle size and mass


A teacher sets up the apparatus below.

Solid ammonium
chloride forms here.

Cotton wool soaked Cotton wool soaked


in concentrated in concentrated
hydrochloric acid. ammonia solution.

Particles of hydrogen chloride and ammonia evaporate from the cotton wool.
They diffuse along the tube. When the two types of particle meet they react. This
forms a new substance, which is a white solid. You can see the solid in the tube.
The solid forms closer to the cotton wool soaked in hydrochloric acid. This shows
that hydrogen chloride particles diffuse more slowly than ammonia particles.
A hydrogen chloride particle has a greater mass than an ammonia particle.
Big, heavy particles diffuse more slowly than smaller, lighter particles.

82
States of matter

Diffusion in gases, liquids, and solids


Diffusion through gases
Diffusion happens quickly in a gas. This is because a particle can travel a long
distance before it hits another particle.

Diffusion through liquids


Mo puts a crystal of potassium manganate(VII) in a Petri dish of water. He
watches carefully. The purple colour starts to spread through the water.
The next day Mo looks at the mixture again. The purple colour has spread
all through the water. Purple particles have moved away from the crystal and
mixed with the water particles.
Diffusion happens more slowly in liquids than in gases. This is because
particles are closer in liquids, and there are stronger forces between them.

Diffusion in solids
Diffusion happens very slowly – if at all – in solids. This is because very strong Purple potassium manganate(VII)
forces hold the particles in position. However, solid diffusion can happen crystals start to diffuse through
enough to be useful. liquid water.
Solar cells generate electricity from sunlight. One type of solar cell is made
from thin slices of pure silicon. When the cell is being made, phosphorus
particles diffuse into the silicon. The process happens at a high temperature,
just below the melting point of silicon.

Evidence for moving particles


In 1828, Robert Brown suspended pollen grains in water. He looked at them
through a microscope. The pollen grains moved around quickly. Why?
The pollen grains were pushed around by the random movements of the water
particles around them. But how? Water particles are tiny compared to pollen
grains. The answer lies in the speed of the water particles – on average, a Solid diffusion is used in making
water particle moves faster than 1600 km/h at 20 °C. solar cells.

1 Explain the meaning of the word diffusion. ● Diffusion is the random


2 List three factors that affect the speed of diffusion. movement and mixing
of particles.
3 Explain why diffusion happens more quickly at higher temperatures.
● Diffusion happens faster at
higher temperatures.
● Big, heavy particles diffuse
slower than smaller, lighter
particles.
● Diffusion is quicker in gases
than in liquids. Solid diffusion
is very slow.

83

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