To calculate the Rate of Effusion (\(E\)):
\[ E \propto \frac{1}{\sqrt{M}} \]
Where:
Effusion is the process by which gas particles pass through a tiny opening from one container to another. In most cases, effusion is measured in mL/s; however, the provided equation results in a unitless number. The reason is that the true effusion rate will depend on the size of the hole, as well as the temperature and pressure of the gas. This equation states that the effusion rate is proportional to the inverse of the square root of the molar mass. This can be useful in comparing the effusion of two different gases because the proportions to the absolute values will always be the same.
Let's assume the following value:
Using the formula:
\[ E = \frac{1}{\sqrt{4}} = \frac{1}{2} = 0.5 \]
The Effusion Rate is 0.5 (unitless).
Let's assume the following value:
Using the formula:
\[ E = \frac{1}{\sqrt{16}} = \frac{1}{4} = 0.25 \]
The Effusion Rate is 0.25 (unitless).
