If the molecular speed of a gas increases, its rate of diffusion will__________.
If the molecular speed of a gas increases, its rate of diffusion will also increase. Diffusion is the process by which gas molecules mix and spread out spontaneously. It occurs because gas molecules are in constant random motion, colliding with each other and spreading out into available space.
The rate of diffusion is directly related to the speed of the gas molecules. When the molecular speed increases, the gas molecules move more quickly and energetically. As a result, they can cover more distance in a given time interval and can travel farther away from their original location. This leads to an increase in the rate of diffusion.
To understand why this happens, we can look at the Graham's law of diffusion. According to Graham's law, the rate of diffusion of a gas is inversely proportional to the square root of its molar mass. This means that lighter gas molecules will diffuse faster than heavier gas molecules at the same temperature and pressure.
Gas molecules with higher molecular speeds tend to have less mass and are typically lighter. Therefore, as their speed increases, their rate of diffusion increases as well.
In summary, when the molecular speed of a gas increases, its rate of diffusion increases due to the faster and more energetic movement of the gas molecules.