Question

Oxygen diffuses from the surface of insects to the interior through tiny tubes called tracheae. An average trachea is about 2 mm long and has cross-sectional area of 2×10−9m^2

a) What is the molar concentration of oxygen in the air (assume 21% is oxygen) at 22 ∘C∘C?

b) Assuming the concentration of oxygen inside is half what it is outside in the atmosphere calculate the diffusion rate JJ. The diffusion constant is 1.8×10−5m^/s.

c) Estimate the average time for a molecule to diffuse in.

Answer 1