Chemistry – States of matter - Diffusion | e-Consult
States of matter - Diffusion (1 questions)
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The observation that diffusion rates increase with temperature is directly explained by kinetic particle theory. As temperature increases, the average kinetic energy of the gas molecules increases. This means the molecules move faster and have more frequent and forceful collisions.
These more energetic collisions result in a greater number of molecules overcoming the resistance to movement from the region of high concentration to the region of low concentration. The increased kinetic energy allows the molecules to diffuse more rapidly. The diagram below illustrates this:
[Image missing: Diffusion with temperature diagram]
Explanation of the diagram:
- Region of high concentration (left): Many molecules are packed closely together.
- Region of low concentration (right): Fewer molecules are present.
- Arrows: Represent the movement of gas molecules from left to right.
- Higher temperature (indicated by the wavy arrows): The molecules have more kinetic energy and move faster, leading to a faster rate of diffusion.