An Introduction to Thermal Physics · Problem 1.69

Energy in Thermal Physics — Daniel Schroeder

Physics — Statistical Mechanics · diffusion-ficks-second-law

Problem

Imagine a narrow pipe, filled with fluid, in which the concentration of a certain type of molecule varies only along the length of the pipe (in the xx direction). By considering the flux of these particles from both directions into a short segment Δx\Delta x, derive Fick's second law, ∂n∂t=D∂2n∂x2.\frac{\partial n}{\partial t} = D\frac{\partial^2 n}{\partial x^2}. Noting the similarity to the heat equation derived in Problem 1.62, discuss the implications of this equation in some detail.

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