Diffusion is the process by which particles move from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration. This movement happens naturally until the concentration of the particles is equal throughout the space. It occurs in gases, liquids, and even some solids.
Example 1: Perfume in a Room
When you spray perfume in one corner of a room, the concentrated fragrance molecules start to spread out. At first, the area near the spray has a strong scent (high concentration), but gradually, the smell reaches other parts of the room (lower concentration). In a few minutes, you can smell the perfume everywhere, and that’s diffusion in action.
Example 2: Food Coloring in Water
If you drop a few drops of food coloring into a glass of water, the food coloring starts in one spot (high concentration) and then spreads throughout the water (lower concentration). Eventually, the entire glass of water will be colored uniformly, demonstrating diffusion.
Example 3: Sugar in Tea
When you stir sugar into hot tea, the sugar dissolves and spreads throughout the liquid. Initially, the sugar is in one spot, but as you stir, the sugar molecules spread out evenly in the tea until the sweetness is the same throughout.
Summary
In all these examples, diffusion is about the natural movement of particles from areas where they are more crowded to areas where they are less crowded, and it helps achieve balance or uniformity in concentration.