Question

You walk in the front door of your home. You smell an onion that someone is cutting in the kitchen. Explain why you are able to smell it, what this process is called, and what other types of substances exhibit this behavior.

Answer 1

This is the process of diffusion and is exhibited by gases. The compounds responsible for the smell of onions are released into the air and diffuse through out the house due to random molecular movement. This allows you to smell them at the entrance of your house.

Answer 2

Answer: We are able to smell it because the particles move from their high concentration to low concentration and mix with the gases present in the atmosphere and thus we are able to smell it.

Diffusion is a process in which a movement of substance takes place from a high concentration area to a low concentration area due to the random movement of the particles. Diffusion happens in gases more faster than liquids and solids because of the random movement of their particles.

Other substances exhibiting this behavior is perfume, incense sticks and cooking of food etc.