Diffusion occurs most rapidly in which state of matter?

Study for the Cambridge Science – States of Matter Test. Prepare with flashcards and multiple choice questions, with hints and explanations for each question. Ready yourself for your exam!

Multiple Choice

Diffusion occurs most rapidly in which state of matter?

Explanation:
Diffusion is fastest when particles can mix without being held back by tight interactions. In a gas, particles are far apart and move rapidly, so when there’s a concentration gradient, molecules spread through the entire volume quickly. In a solid, the atoms are locked into a lattice and can only diffuse very slowly via defects or vacancies. In a liquid, particles are closer together and interact more, so diffusion happens, but not as fast as in a gas. Plasma is a hot, ionized gas, and diffusion can be rapid under the right conditions, but the common ranking for basic states of matter places gases as the quickest diffusers.

Diffusion is fastest when particles can mix without being held back by tight interactions. In a gas, particles are far apart and move rapidly, so when there’s a concentration gradient, molecules spread through the entire volume quickly. In a solid, the atoms are locked into a lattice and can only diffuse very slowly via defects or vacancies. In a liquid, particles are closer together and interact more, so diffusion happens, but not as fast as in a gas. Plasma is a hot, ionized gas, and diffusion can be rapid under the right conditions, but the common ranking for basic states of matter places gases as the quickest diffusers.

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