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Chemistry  /  Chem 1294  ·  Atom · ~20 seconds

Effusion

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Effusion is the escape of gas molecules through a tiny opening into a vacuum, one molecule passing through at a time.

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Helium leaks out of a pinhole-punctured balloon faster than the surrounding air leaks in, since effusion favors lighter molecules.

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Effusion is diffusion's narrower cousin: diffusion spreads through open space, while effusion specifically crosses a small opening into a vacuum.