Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Diffusion is the process by which particles spread out from each other in a solution or within gases due to their kinetic energy until they are evenly distributed.
Related terms
Concentration Gradient: This refers to how concentration changes across distance in a particular direction within a solution or medium.
Osmosis: This is diffusion but specifically for water across semi-permeable membranes.
Brownian Motion: This describes how particles move randomly due to collisions with other fast-moving atoms or molecules around them.