tam89 said:
what factors will affect the speed of diffusion??
Thanks
Here are a few examples--
*membrane permeability 0- diffusion through a membrane depends on how permeable it is to the particles. Eg potassium ions diffuse more rapidly than sodium ions through the plasma membrane. Nonpolar and lipid soluble substances eg oxygen, nitric oxide, alcohol will diffuse through the phospholipid regions of a plasma membrane.
* Membrane surface area - a smaller SA = molecules will diffuse more rapidly.
* molecular weight - /molecules (eg protein) move more sluggishly than + diffuse more slowly than light particles eg gases
* concentration gradient - the concentration difference between 2 points. Particles will diffuse more rapidly if there is a greater conc. difference between 2 points.
Hope this helps.