Frequently Asked Questions
What is the law of effusion?
The law of effusion states that the rate at which a gas escapes through a small opening is inversely proportional to the square root of its molar mass, so lighter gases effuse faster than heavier ones.
Why do helium balloons deflate faster than air balloons?
Helium has a very low molar mass, so by the law of effusion it escapes through the balloon material faster than the heavier nitrogen and oxygen molecules in air.
What is the difference between effusion and diffusion?
Effusion is the escape of gas molecules through a tiny opening into a vacuum, while diffusion is the spreading and mixing of gases through one another. Graham's law applies to both, since each depends on molecular speed, which scales inversely with the square root of molar mass.
What is Graham's law formula, with an example?
The formula is rate₁ ÷ rate₂ = √(M₂ ÷ M₁), where M is molar mass. For two gases of similar mass, compare nitrogen (N₂, 28 g/mol) with oxygen (O₂, 32 g/mol): rate(N₂) ÷ rate(O₂) = √(32 ÷ 28) = √1.143 ≈ 1.07. Nitrogen effuses only about 7% faster than oxygen because their molar masses are close, unlike the 4-to-1 ratio between hydrogen and oxygen.
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