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Contents
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
(Top)

Diffusion vs. bulk flow


Diffusion in the context of different disciplines


History of diffusion in physics


Basic models of diffusion
Toggle Basic models of diffusion subsection
o
Definition of diffusion flux

o
Normal single component concentration gradient

o
Multicomponent diffusion and thermodiffusion


Nondiagonal diffusion must be nonlinear

o
Applied forces

o
Diffusion across a membrane

o
Ballistic time scale

o
Jumps on the surface and in solids

o
Porous media


Diffusion in physics
Toggle Diffusion in physics subsection
o
Diffusion coefficient in kinetic theory of gases

o
The theory of diffusion in gases based on Boltzmann's equation

o
 Diffusion of electrons in solids

o
Diffusion in geophysics

o
Dialysis


Random walk (random motion)
Toggle Random walk (random motion) subsection
o
Separation of diffusion from convection in gases

o
Other types of diffusion


See also


References

Diffusion
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the generic concept of the time-dependent process. For other uses,
see Diffusion (disambiguation).

Some particles are dissolved in a glass of water. At first,

the particles are all near one top corner of the glass. If the particles randomly move around
("diffuse") in the water, they eventually become distributed randomly and uniformly from an
area of high concentration to an area of low, and organized (diffusion continues, but with no
net flux).Time lapse video of diffusion a dye dissolved in water into a gel.

Diffusion from a microscopic and b macroscopic point

of view. Initially, there are solute molecules on the left side of a barrier (purple line) and none
on the right. The barrier is removed, and the solute diffuses to fill the whole container. Top: A
single molecule moves around randomly. Middle: With more molecules, there is a statistical
trend that the solute fills the container more and more uniformly. Bottom: With an enormous
number of solute molecules, all randomness is gone: The solute appears to move smoothly
and deterministically from high-concentration areas to low-concentration areas. There is no
microscopic force pushing molecules rightward, but there appears to be one in the bottom
panel. This apparent force is called an entropic force.
Three-dimensional rendering of diffusion of purple dye in water.

Diffusion is the net movement of anything (for example, atoms, ions, molecules,
energy) generally from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower
concentration. Diffusion is driven by a gradient in Gibbs free energy or chemical
potential. It is possible to diffuse "uphill" from a region of lower concentration to a
region of higher concentration, as in spinodal decomposition. Diffusion is a
stochastic process due to the inherent randomness of the diffusing entity and can be
used to model many real-life stochastic scenarios. Therefore, diffusion and the
corresponding mathematical models are used in several fields beyond physics, such
as statistics, probability theory, information theory, neural networks, finance,
and marketing.
The concept of diffusion is widely used in many fields, including physics (particle
diffusion), chemistry, biology, sociology, economics, statistics, data science,
and finance (diffusion of people, ideas, data and price values). The central idea of
diffusion, however, is common to all of these: a substance or collection undergoing
diffusion spreads out from a point or location at which there is a higher concentration
of that substance or collection.
A gradient is the change in the value of a quantity; for example,
concentration, pressure, or temperature with the change in another variable,
usually distance. A change in concentration over a distance is called a concentration
gradient, a change in pressure over a distance is called a pressure gradient, and a
change in temperature over a distance is called a temperature gradient.
The word diffusion derives from the Latin word, diffundere, which means "to spread
out".
A distinguishing feature of diffusion is that it depends on particle random walk, and
results in mixing or mass transport without requiring directed bulk motion. Bulk
motion, or bulk flow, is the characteristic of advection.[1] The term convection is used
to describe the combination of both transport phenomena.
If a diffusion process can be described by Fick's laws, it is called a normal diffusion
(or Fickian diffusion); Otherwise, it is called an anomalous diffusion (or non-Fickian
diffusion).
When talking about the extent of diffusion, two length scales are used in two different
scenarios:
1. Brownian motion of an impulsive point source (for example, one single spray
of perfume)—the square root of the mean squared displacement from this

point. In Fickian diffusion, this is , where is the dimension of

this Brownian motion;
2. Constant concentration source in one dimension—the diffusion length. In

Fickian diffusion, this is .

Diffusion vs. bulk flow[edit]
"Bulk flow" is the movement/flow of an entire body due to a pressure gradient (for
example, water coming out of a tap). "Diffusion" is the gradual movement/dispersion
of concentration within a body with no net movement of matter. An example of a
process where both bulk motion and diffusion occur is human breathing.[2]
First, there is a "bulk flow" process. The lungs are located in the thoracic cavity,
which expands as the first step in external respiration. This expansion leads to an
increase in volume of the alveoli in the lungs, which causes a decrease in pressure
in the alveoli. This creates a pressure gradient between the air outside the body at
relatively high pressure and the alveoli at relatively low pressure. The air moves
down the pressure gradient through the airways of the lungs and into the alveoli until
the pressure of the air and that in the alveoli are equal, that is, the movement of air
by bulk flow stops once there is no longer a pressure gradient.
Second, there is a "diffusion" process. The air arriving in the alveoli has a higher
concentration of oxygen than the "stale" air in the alveoli. The increase in oxygen
concentration creates a concentration gradient for oxygen between the air in the
alveoli and the blood in the capillaries that surround the alveoli. Oxygen then moves
by diffusion, down the concentration gradient, into the blood. The other consequence
of the air arriving in alveoli is that the concentration of carbon dioxide in the alveoli
decreases. This creates a concentration gradient for carbon dioxide to diffuse from
the blood into the alveoli, as fresh air has a very low concentration of carbon dioxide
compared to the blood in the body.
Third, there is another "bulk flow" process. The pumping action of the heart then
transports the blood around the body. As the left ventricle of the heart contracts, the
volume decreases, which increases the pressure in the ventricle. This creates a
pressure gradient between the heart and the capillaries, and blood moves
through blood vessels by bulk flow down the pressure gradient.
Diffusion in the context of different disciplines [edit]

Diffusion furnaces used for thermal oxidation

There are two ways to introduce the notion of diffusion: either a phenomenological
approach starting with Fick's laws of diffusion and their mathematical consequences,
or a physical and atomistic one, by considering the random walk of the diffusing
particles.[3]
In the phenomenological approach, diffusion is the movement of a substance from a
region of high concentration to a region of low concentration without bulk motion.
According to Fick's laws, the diffusion flux is proportional to the negative gradient of
concentrations. It goes from regions of higher concentration to regions of lower
concentration. Sometime later, various generalizations of Fick's laws were developed
in the frame of thermodynamics and non-equilibrium thermodynamics.[4]
From the atomistic point of view, diffusion is considered as a result of the random
walk of the diffusing particles. In molecular diffusion, the moving molecules in a gas,
liquid, or solid are self-propelled by kinetic energy. Random walk of small particles in
suspension in a fluid was discovered in 1827 by Robert Brown, who found that
minute particle suspended in a liquid medium and just large enough to be visible
under an optical microscope exhibit a rapid and continually irregular motion of
particles known as Brownian movement. The theory of the Brownian motion and the
atomistic backgrounds of diffusion were developed by Albert Einstein.[5] The concept
of diffusion is typically applied to any subject matter involving random walks
in ensembles of individuals.
In chemistry and materials science, diffusion also refers to the movement of fluid
molecules in porous solids.[6] Different types of diffusion are distinguished in porous
solids. Molecular diffusion occurs when the collision with another molecule is more
likely than the collision with the pore walls. Under such conditions, the diffusivity is
similar to that in a non-confined space and is proportional to the mean free
path. Knudsen diffusion occurs when the pore diameter is comparable to or smaller
than the mean free path of the molecule diffusing through the pore. Under this
condition, the collision with the pore walls becomes gradually more likely and the
diffusivity is lower. Finally there is configurational diffusion, which happens if the
molecules have comparable size to that of the pore. Under this condition, the
diffusivity is much lower compared to molecular diffusion and small differences in the
kinetic diameter of the molecule cause large differences in diffusivity.
Biologists often use the terms "net movement" or "net diffusion" to describe the
movement of ions or molecules by diffusion. For example, oxygen can diffuse
through cell membranes so long as there is a higher concentration of oxygen outside
the cell. However, because the movement of molecules is random, occasionally
oxygen molecules move out of the cell (against the concentration gradient). Because
there are more oxygen molecules outside the cell, the probability that oxygen
molecules will enter the cell is higher than the probability that oxygen molecules will
leave the cell. Therefore, the "net" movement of oxygen molecules (the difference
between the number of molecules either entering or leaving the cell) is into the cell.
In other words, there is a net movement of oxygen molecules down the
concentration gradient.
History of diffusion in physics[edit]
In the scope of time, diffusion in solids was used long before the theory of diffusion
was created. For example, Pliny the Elder had previously described the cementation
process, which produces steel from the element iron (Fe) through carbon diffusion.
Another example is well known for many centuries, the diffusion of colors of stained
glass or earthenware and Chinese ceramics.
In modern science, the first systematic experimental study of diffusion was
performed by Thomas Graham. He studied diffusion in gases, and the main
phenomenon was described by him in 1831–1833:[7]
"...gases of different nature, when brought into contact, do not arrange themselves
according to their density, the heaviest undermost, and the lighter uppermost, but
they spontaneously diffuse, mutually and equally, through each other, and so remain
in the intimate state of mixture for any length of time."
The measurements of Graham contributed to James Clerk Maxwell deriving, in 1867,
the coefficient of diffusion for CO2 in the air. The error rate is less than 5%.
In 1855, Adolf Fick, the 26-year-old anatomy demonstrator from Zürich, proposed his
law of diffusion. He used Graham's research, stating his goal as "the development of
a fundamental law, for the operation of diffusion in a single element of space". He
asserted a deep analogy between diffusion and conduction of heat or electricity,
creating a formalism similar to Fourier's law for heat conduction (1822) and Ohm's
law for electric current (1827).
Robert Boyle demonstrated diffusion in solids in the 17th century[8] by penetration of
zinc into a copper coin. Nevertheless, diffusion in solids was not systematically
studied until the second part of the 19th century. William Chandler Roberts-Austen,
the well-known British metallurgist and former assistant of Thomas Graham studied
systematically solid state diffusion on the example of gold in lead in 1896. :[9]
"... My long connection with Graham's researches made it almost a duty to attempt to
extend his work on liquid diffusion to metals."
In 1858, Rudolf Clausius introduced the concept of the mean free path. In the same
year, James Clerk Maxwell developed the first atomistic theory of transport
processes in gases. The modern atomistic theory of diffusion and Brownian
motion was developed by Albert Einstein, Marian Smoluchowski and Jean-Baptiste
Perrin. Ludwig Boltzmann, in the development of the atomistic backgrounds of the
macroscopic transport processes, introduced the Boltzmann equation, which has
served mathematics and physics with a source of transport process ideas and
concerns for more than 140 years.[10]
In 1920–1921, George de Hevesy measured self-diffusion using radioisotopes. He
studied self-diffusion of radioactive isotopes of lead in the liquid and solid lead.
Yakov Frenkel (sometimes, Jakov/Jacob Frenkel) proposed, and elaborated in 1926,
the idea of diffusion in crystals through local defects (vacancies
and interstitial atoms). He concluded, the diffusion process in condensed matter is
an ensemble of elementary jumps and quasichemical interactions of particles and
defects. He introduced several mechanisms of diffusion and found rate constants
from experimental data.
Sometime later, Carl Wagner and Walter H. Schottky developed Frenkel's ideas
about mechanisms of diffusion further. Presently, it is universally recognized that
atomic defects are necessary to mediate diffusion in crystals.[9]
Henry Eyring, with co-authors, applied his theory of absolute reaction rates to
Frenkel's quasichemical model of diffusion.[11] The analogy between reaction
kinetics and diffusion leads to various nonlinear versions of Fick's law.[12]
Basic models of diffusion[edit]
Definition of diffusion flux[edit]
Each model of diffusion expresses the diffusion flux with the use of concentrations,

densities and their derivatives. Flux is a vector representing the quantity and

direction of transfer. Given a small area with normal , the transfer of

a physical quantity through the area per time is

where is the inner product and is the little-o notation. If we use

the notation of vector area then

The dimension of the diffusion flux is [flux] = [quantity]/([time]·[area]). The

diffusing physical quantity may be the number of particles, mass,

energy, electric charge, or any other scalar extensive quantity. For its

density, , the diffusion equation has the form

where is intensity of any local source of this quantity (for

example, the rate of a chemical reaction). For the diffusion equation,

the no-flux boundary conditions can be formulated as on the

boundary, where is the normal to the boundary at point .

Normal single component concentration gradient[edit]
Main article: Fick's laws of diffusion

Fick's first law: The diffusion flux, , is proportional to the negative

gradient of spatial concentration, :

where D is the diffusion coefficient. The corresponding diffusion

equation (Fick's second law) is
In case the diffusion coefficient is independent of , Fick's
second law can be simplified to

where is the Laplace operator,

Multicomponent diffusion and

thermodiffusion[edit]
Main article: Onsager reciprocal relations

Fick's law describes diffusion of an admixture in a medium.

The concentration of this admixture should be small and
the gradient of this concentration should be also small. The
driving force of diffusion in Fick's law is the antigradient of

concentration, .
In 1931, Lars Onsager[13] included the multicomponent
transport processes in the general context of linear non-
equilibrium thermodynamics. For multi-component
transport,

where is the flux of the th physical

quantity (component) and is the

th thermodynamic force.
The thermodynamic forces for the transport processes
were introduced by Onsager as the space gradients of

the derivatives of the entropy density (he used

the term "force" in quotation marks or "driving force"):

where are the "thermodynamic

coordinates". For the heat and mass transfer one

can take (the density of internal energy)

and is the concentration of the th

component. The corresponding driving forces are
the space vectors
because
where T is the absolute temperature and

is the chemical potential of the

th component. It should be stressed that the
separate diffusion equations describe the mixing
or mass transport without bulk motion.
Therefore, the terms with variation of the total
pressure are neglected. It is possible for
diffusion of small admixtures and for small
gradients.
For the linear Onsager equations, we must take
the thermodynamic forces in the linear
approximation near equilibrium:

where the derivatives of are

calculated at equilibrium . The matrix

of the kinetic coefficients should be

symmetric (Onsager reciprocal relations)
and positive definite (for the entropy growth).
The transport equations are

Here, all the indexes i, j, k = 0, 1,

2, ... are related to the internal energy (0)
and various components. The expression
in the square brackets is the matrix

of the diffusion (i,k > 0),

thermodiffusion (i > 0, k = 0
or k > 0, i = 0) and thermal
conductivity (i = k = 0) coefficients.
Under isothermal
conditions T = constant. The relevant
thermodynamic potential is the free
energy (or the free entropy). The
thermodynamic driving forces for the
isothermal diffusion are antigradients of

chemical potentials, , and the

matrix of diffusion coefficients is
(i,k > 0).
There is intrinsic arbitrariness in the
definition of the thermodynamic
forces and kinetic coefficients
because they are not measurable
separately and only their

combinations can be
measured. For example, in the
original work of Onsager[13] the
thermodynamic forces include
additional multiplier T, whereas in
the Course of Theoretical
Physics[14] this multiplier is omitted but
the sign of the thermodynamic forces
is opposite. All these changes are
supplemented by the corresponding
changes in the coefficients and do not
affect the measurable quantities.
Nondiagonal diffusion must be
nonlinear[edit]
The formalism of linear irreversible
thermodynamics (Onsager)
generates the systems of linear
diffusion equations in the form

If the matrix of diffusion

coefficients is diagonal, then this
system of equations is just a
collection of decoupled Fick's
equations for various
components. Assume that
diffusion is non-diagonal, for

example, , and consider

the state with . At this

state, . If at some

points, then becomes

negative at these points in a short
time. Therefore, linear non-
diagonal diffusion does not
preserve positivity of
 concentrations. Non-diagonal
equations of multicomponent
diffusion must be non-linear.[12]
Applied forces[edit]
The Einstein relation (kinetic
theory) connects the diffusion
coefficient and the mobility (the
ratio of the particle's terminal drift
velocity to an applied force).[15] For
charged particles:

where D is the diffusion

constant, μ is the
"mobility", kB is the Boltzmann
constant, T is the absolute
temperature, and q is
the elementary charge, that is,
the charge of one electron.
Below, to combine in the
same formula the chemical
potential μ and the mobility,
we use for mobility the

notation .
Diffusion across a
membrane[edit]
The mobility-based approach
was further applied by T.
Teorell.[16] In 1935, he studied
the diffusion of ions through a
membrane. He formulated the
essence of his approach in the
formula:
the flux is equal to mobility × concentration × force per gram-ion.
This is the so-
called Teorell formula.[citation
needed]
The term "gram-ion"
("gram-particle") is used
for a quantity of a
substance that contains
the Avogadro number of
ions (particles). The
common modern term
is mole.
The force under isothermal
conditions consists of two
parts:
1. Diffusion
force caused
by
concentration
gradient:

.
2. Electrostatic
force caused
by electric
potential
gradient:

.
Here R is the gas
constant, T is the absolute
temperature, n is the
concentration, the
equilibrium concentration
is marked by a superscript
"eq", q is the charge
and φ is the electric
potential.
The simple but crucial
difference between the
Teorell formula and the
Onsager laws is the
concentration factor in the
Teorell expression for the
flux. In the Einstein–
Teorell approach, if for the
finite force the
concentration tends to
zero then the flux also
tends to zero, whereas the
Onsager equations violate
this simple and physically
obvious rule.
The general formulation of
the Teorell formula for
non-perfect systems under
isothermal conditions is[12]

where μ is
the chemical
potential, μ0 is the
standard value of the
chemical potential. The

expression is
the so-called activity. It
measures the
"effective
concentration" of a
species in a non-ideal
mixture. In this
notation, the Teorell
formula for the flux has
a very simple form[12]

The standard
derivation of the
activity includes a
normalization factor
and for small
concentrations

, where

is the
standard
concentration.
Therefore, this
formula for the flux
describes the flux
of the normalized
dimensionless

quantity :

Ballistic time
scale[edit]
The Einstein
model neglects
the inertia of the
diffusing partial.
The
alternative Lang
evin
equation starts
with Newton's
second law of
motion:[17]

where

 xi
s
th
e
p
os
iti
o
n.
 μi
s
th
e
m
o
bil
ity
of
th
e
p
ar
tic
le
in
th
e
flu
id
or
g
as
,
w
hi
ch
ca
n
b
e
ca
lc
ul
at
e
d
us
 in
g
th
e
Ei
ns
tei
n
re
lat
io
n
(ki
n
eti
c
th
e
or
y)
.
 m
is
th
e
m
as
s
of
th
e
p
ar
tic
le.
 F
is
th
e
ra
n
d
o
m
fo
rc
e
a
p
pli
e
d
to
th
 e
p
ar
tic
le.
 ti
s
ti
m
e.
Solving this
equation,
one
obtained the
time-
dependent
diffusion
constant in
the long-
time limit
and when
the particle
is
significantly
denser than
the
surrounding
fluid,[17]

where

 kB
is
th
e
B
ol
tz
m
a
n
n
c
o
n
st
a
nt
;
 T
is
th
e
a
b
s
ol
ut
e
te
m
p
er
at
ur
e.
 μ
is
th
e
m
o
bi
lit
y
of
th
e
p
ar
ti
cl
e
in
th
e
fl
ui
d
or
g
a
s,
w
hi
c
h
c
a
n
b
e
c
al
 c
ul
at
e
d
u
si
n
g
th
e
Ei
n
st
ei
n
re
la
ti
o
n
(k
in
et
ic
th
e
or
y)
.
 m
is
th
e
m
a
s
s
of
th
e
p
ar
ti
cl
e.
 ti
s
ti
m
e.
At long
time
scales,
Einstein'
s result
is
recovere
d, but
short
time
scales,
the ballis
tic
regime a
re also
explaine
d.
Moreove
r, unlike
the
Einstein
approac
h, a
velocity
can be
defined,
leading
to
the Fluct
uation-
dissipati
on
theorem,
connecti
ng the
competiti
on
between
friction
and
random
forces in
defining
the
temperat
ure.[17]: 3.2
Jumps
on the
surface
and in
solids[e
dit]

Diffusion
in the
monolaye
r:
oscillatio
ns near
temporar
y
equilibriu
m
positions
and
jumps to
the
nearest
free
places.

Diffusion
of
reagents
on the
surface
of
a catalys
t may
play an
importan
t role in
heteroge
neous
catalysis
. The
model of
diffusion
in the
ideal
monolay
er is
based
on the
jumps of
the
reagents
on the
nearest
free
places.
This
model
was
used for
CO on
Pt
oxidation
under
low gas
pressure
.
The
system
includes
several
reagents

on the
surface.
Their
surface
concentr
ations
are

The
surface
is a
lattice of
the
adsorpti
on
places.
Each
reagent
molecule
fills a
place on
the
surface.
Some of
the
places
are free.
The
concentr
ation of
the free
places
is

.
The sum
of all

(includin
g free
places)
is
constant
, the
density
of
adsorpti
on
places b.
The
jump
model
gives for
the
diffusion
flux of

(i = 1, ...,
n):
The
corre
spon
ding
diffus
ion
equa
tion
is:[12]

D
u
e
t
o
t
h
e
c
o
n
s
e
r
v
a
ti
o
n
la
w
,

a
n
d
w
e
h
a
v
e
t
h
e
s
y
st
e
m

o
f
m

di
ff
u
si
o
n
e
q
u
a
ti
o
n
s.
F
o
r
o
n
e
c
o
m
p
o
n
e
n
t
w
e
g
e
t
F
ic
k'
s
la
w
a
n
d
li
n
e
a
r
e
q
u
a
ti
o
n
s
b
e
c
a
u
s
e

.
F
o
r
t
w
o
a
n
d
m
o
r
e
c
o
m
p
o
n
e
n
ts
t
h
e
e
q
u
a
ti
o
n
s
a
r
e
n
o
nl
in
e
a
r.
If
al
l
p
a
rt
ic
le
s
c
a
n
e
x
c
h
a
n
g
e
t
h
ei
r
p
o
si
ti
o
n
s
w
it
h
t
h
ei
r
cl
o
s
e
st
n
ei
g
h
b
o
u
r
s
t
h
e
n
a
si
m
pl
e
g
e
n
e
r
al
iz
a
ti
o
n
gi
v
e
s

wher
e
is a
sym
metri
c
matri
x of
coeffi
cient
s that
chara
cteriz
e the
inten
sities
of
jump
s.
The
free
place
s
(vaca
ncies
)
shoul
d be
consi
dered
as
speci
al
"parti
cles"
with
conc
entrat
ion

.
Vario
us
versi
ons
of
these
jump
mode
ls are
also
suita
ble
for
simpl
e
diffus
ion
mech
anis
ms in
solids
.
Poro
us
med
ia[ed
it]
For
diffus
ion in
porou
s
medi
a the
basic
equat
ions
are (if
Φ is
const
ant):
[18]

where D is
the diffusion
coefficient,
Φ is
porosity, n is
the
concentratio
n, m > 0
(usually m >
1, the
case m = 1
corresponds
to Fick's
law).
Care must
be taken to
properly
account for
the porosity
(Φ) of the
porous
medium in
both the flux
terms and
the
accumulatio
n terms.
[19]
For
example, as
the porosity
goes to zero,
the molar
flux in the
porous
medium
goes to zero
for a given
concentratio
n gradient.
Upon
applying the
divergence
of the flux,
the porosity
terms cancel
out and the
second
equation
above is
formed.
For diffusion
of gases in
porous
media this
equation is
the
formalization
of Darcy's
law:
the volumetri
c flux of a
gas in the
porous
media is

where k is
the permeabili
of the
medium, μ is
the viscosity a
d p is the
pressure.
The advective
molar flux is
given as
J = nq

and for
Darcy's law
gives the
equation of
diffusion in
porous media
with m = γ + 1
In porous
media, the
average linear
velocity (ν), is
related to the
volumetric flux
as:

Combining the
advective mol
flux with the
diffusive flux
gives the
advection
dispersion
equation
For
underground
water infiltratio
the Boussines
approximation
ves the same
equation
with m = 2.
For plasma wi
the high level
radiation,
the Zeldovich–
Raizer equatio
gives m > 4 fo
the heat
transfer.
Diffusion
in
physics[ed
]
Diffusion
coefficient in
kinetic theo
of gases[edi
See also: Kinet
theory of gases
§ Diffusion
coefficient and
diffusion flux

Random
collisions of
particles in a ga

The diffusion
coefficient

is the
coefficient in
the Fick's first

law ,
where J is the
diffusion flux
(amount of
substance) pe
unit area per
unit time, n (fo
ideal mixtures
is the
concentration,
is the position
[length].
Consider two
gases with
molecules of t
same
diameter d an
mass m (self-
diffusion). In th
case, the
elementary
mean free pat
theory of
diffusion gives
for the diffusio
coefficient

where kB is
the Boltzmann
constant, T is
the temperatu
s the pressure

is the
free path, and
the mean ther
speed:
We can see th
diffusion coeff
the mean free
approximation
with T as T3/2 a
decreases wit
1/P. If we use
for P the ideal
law P = RnT w
total concentra
then we can s
for given
concentration
diffusion coeff
grows with T a
for given temp
decreases wit
concentration
For two differe
A and B, with
masses mA, m
molecular
diameters dA, d
mean free pat
estimate of the
coefficient of A
B in A is:

The theory
in gases ba
Boltzmann's
equation[ed
In Boltzmann's
the mixture of
gas has its ow

function,
where t is the
moment, x is p
and c is veloci
molecule of th
component of
Each compon

mean velocity

the velocities
not coincide th
exists diffusion
In the Chapma
Enskog appro
the distribution
are expressed
densities of th
quantities:[10]
 individual co

particles,
volume),

 density of m
(mi is the ith
 density of k

The kinetic
temperature T
pressure P are
3D space as

where
density.
For two gases

between veloc
given by the e

where
to the molecul

component an
thermodiffusio
The coefficien
is the diffusion
terms in the fo
for C1−C2 desc
effects in the d

1. de
component
 ratio n1/n to
ratio (and, a
component
low n2/n bec

2. de
molecules t
and the ligh
lower press

3. de
difference o
of different t
gravitationa
should go d
charged mo
effect is not
terms. This
with barodif
gradient.

4. de
diffusion flu
gradient.
All these effec
called diffusion
describe the d
velocities of di
in the mixture.
effects cannot
a bulk transpo
advection or c
In the first app

for rigid sphere

for repulsing for

The number
quadratures (f
Ch. 10 of the c
and Cowling b
We can see th
on T for the rig
same as for th
path theory bu
repulsion laws
different. Depe
concentration
temperature h
character, 1/n
In applications
the diffusion fl
should be join
transport equa
describes the
velocity V is th
velocity. It is d
momentum de
concentrations

where
concentration

is the
By definition, t

the ith compon

. The mass tra
component is
the continuity

where

rate in chemic

In these equat
describes adv

and the term

of this compon
In 1948, Wend
use the form o
in kinetic theo
new phenome
diffusion in ga
developed furt
S.H. Lam.[20] Fo
multicompone
they used

Here,

is the
is the body for

species,

the ith species

is the

carriers are gen

due to light shin
semiconductor,
have higher diff
excess electron

Diffusion of
Main article: Dif

When the den

equilibrium, di
example, whe
chunk of semi
end (see right
density region
ends), forming
process gener
current.
Diffusion curre
law

where J is the
substance) pe
mixtures) is th
[length].
Diffusion in
Analytical and
equation for d
have been pop
changes to the
extensively in
erosion, fault s
terrace/shorel
coastal shelf r
the Earth's sur
these cases, t
the holistic cha
millennia. Diffu
inverse bound
information ab
from paleoenv
diffusion equa
influx and time
Dialysis[edit

semipermeable
is red, dialysing
Dialysis works
solutes and ul
permeable me
substances in
from an area o
concentration.
permeable me
dialysis fluid, f
semipermeabl
contains holes
solutes and flu
membrane blo
example, red b
replicates the
kidneys when
larger substan
in the glomeru
Random
The apparent ra
explained. Subs
collisions with o
Membrane Tran
2014.

One common
ions or molecu
the animation
appears to ha
other ions. As
motion is not r
other ions. As
or molecule w
viewed in isola
a mixture by "r
energy within
changes in co
(This is a clas
quantum effec
the study of th
more subtle si
described by p
deterministic m
Separation
gases[edit]
While Brownia
particles (like
observable un
diffusion can o
experimental c
is well known
and this may b
Under normal
only at lengths
larger length s
normally due t
phenomenon,
cases, special
In contrast, he
everyday occu
immersed in a
diffusion of he
the diffusion o
Other types
 Anisotropic
enhances h
 Atomic diffu
 Bohm diffus
 Eddy diffusi
 Effusion of a
 Electronic d
the diffusion
 Facilitated d
 Gaseous di
 Heat equati
 Itō diffusion
stochastic p
 Knudsen dif
collisions
 Lévy flight
 Molecular d
less dense
 Momentum
the hydrody
 Photon diffu
 Plasma diffu
 Random wa
 Reverse dif
separation
 Rotational d
 Spin diffusio
 Surface diff
 Taxis is an a
a stimulus
o Kinesis is a
stimulus
 Trans-cultur
geographica
 Turbulent d
a turbulent f
See also[e

 Anomalous
relationship
 Convection-
convection
 Diffusion-lim
 Darken's eq
 Isobaric cou
at constant
 Sorption – P
becomes at
 Osmosis – C
 Percolation
connected c
 Social Netw
Referenc
1. ^ J.G. Kirkwo
equations and
of Chemical P
2. ^ Muir, D. C.
lung". British
176. doi:10.10
3. ^ J. Philibert
and beyond. A
Fundamental
4. ^ S.R. De Gro
Holland, Ams
5. ^ A. Einstein
Wärme geford
Teilchen". An
60. Bibcode:1
6. ^ Pescarmon
Porous Mater
151. doi:10.11
7. ^ Diffusion Pr
Chadwick, W.
8. ^ L.W. Barr (1
Herzig, N.A. S
9. ^ Jump up to:
History of Diff
10. ^ Jump up to:
of Non-uniform
Conduction a
edition), ISBN
11. ^ J.F. Kincaid
rates and its a
Rev. 28 (2): 3
12. ^ Jump up to:
(2011). "Quas
 Diffusion". Ma
262. arXiv:10
13. ^ Jump up to:
Processes. I"
26. Bibcode:1
14. ^ L.D. Landau
(3rd ed.). But
15. ^ S. Bromber
Thermodynam
Science, ISBN
16. ^ T. Teorell (1
Some Theore
Sciences of th
61. Bibcode:1
PMID 165879
17. ^ Jump up to:
14). "111 year
6346. Bibcod
PMID 273967
18. ^ J. L. Vázqu
Oxford Univ. P
19. ^ Stauffer, Ph
Wendy E. (20
Media: Exper
Journal. 8 (2)
510. Bibcode
S2CID 46200
20. ^ S. H. Lam (
Fluids. 18 (7)
8. Bibcode:20
21. ^ Pasternack
"Impact of his
subestuarine
27. Bibcode:2
D 129080402
22. ^ Gregory B.
Ecohydraulics
23. ^ Jump up to:
7th ed. St. Lo
24. ^ Weiss, G. (1
Holland. ISBN

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