Carbon and Hydrogen both diffuse in iron through an interstitial mechanism. The activation energy for C diffusion in BCC iron is 20,900 cal/mol and the activation energy of H is 3,600 cal/mol. Why is the activation energy for H so much less?
A diffusing atom must pass through surrounding atoms to reach its new site.As the size oh H is smaller as compare to the size of C there it is quite easy of H atom to migrate to new position .As the energy must be supplied to get move to a new position . the atom initially in low - energy , stable state in order to move it we must applied some energy so that atom must overcome the energy barrier . this energy requirement is different for different atom as the size of H is small it can easily migrates and hence required lesser energy as compare to C atom .
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