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Diffusion of Many Particles

 

We've all experienced diffusion: for example, the fragrant odor of apple blossoms in late Spring increasing as we near an orchard or the spread of an ink drop in still water. In each of these examples, microscopic particles like the ones in the previous simulation - a volatile ester or a carbon black particle - are exhibiting random walk behavior, and very quickly the compartment - the orchard or the glass - fills with diffusing particles.

In the following series of right-hand pages we will explore diffusion and the various ways it can be measured. As we proceed think about the ways in which the abstract simulations apply to more concrete examples such as those described above.