Complete the following paragraph to describe the movement of

Complete the following paragraph to describe the movement of materials in a solution. Answers may be used more than once.

Solution

When a solute is mixed in a solution, there is difference in its concentration between one region and another. So there is a tendency for the solute to diffuse from where it is more to where it is less. The random movements among solute particles eventually will distribute the solute uniformly in the solution. Hence a net diffusion occurs “down” a concentration gradient i.e. from a region of high concentration to a region of low concentration, till a state of equilibrium is attained. At this stage there will be no more net diffusion of solute but the random movement of solute particles will continue.

However, the concentration of water in the solution is inversely related to the solute concentration – the higher the concentration of total solutes , the lower the number of solvent per unit volume of the solution. So water diffuses from lower solute concentration (more dilute areas) to higher solute concentrations (more concentrated areas).

A solute such as a dye, is added to a solvent such as water to make a solution.

Although the movement of the molecules is spontaneous and random, the net movement of dye is from areas of high concentration to low concentration and the net movement of water is from areas of low concentration to high concentration.

Eventually the concentration of the molecule reaches equilibrium, meaning there is roughly an equal concentration of molecules throughout the solution.