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McKay, Donald. "Front matter" Multimedia Environmental Models ...

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Figure 7.2 The fundamental nature of molecular diffusion.<br />

Here, N is the flux of chemical (mol/h), B is the diffusivity (m2/h),<br />

A is area (m2),<br />

C is concentration of the diffusing chemical (for example, benzene in water)<br />

(mol/m3),<br />

and y is distance (m) in the direction of diffusion. The group dC/dy is<br />

thus the concentration gradient and is characteristic of the degree to which the<br />

solution is unmixed or heterogeneous. The negative sign arises because the direction<br />

of diffusion is from high to low concentration, i.e., it is positive when dC/dy is<br />

negative. Here, we use the symbol B for diffusivity to avoid confusion with D values.<br />

Most texts sensibly use the symbol D. The equation is really a statement that the<br />

rate of diffusion is proportional to the concentration gradient and the proportionality<br />

constant is diffusivity. When the equation is apparently not obeyed, we attribute this<br />

misbehavior to deviations or changes in the diffusivity, not to failure of the equation.<br />

As was discussed earlier, there are differences of opinion about the word flux.<br />

We use it here to denote a transfer rate in units such as mol/h. Others insist that it<br />

should be area specific and have units of mol/m2h.<br />

We ignore their advice. Occa-<br />

©2001 CRC Press LLC

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