Final answer:
Diffusion is the movement of particles from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration. The spreading of dye in a beaker of water is an example of diffusion, as the dye molecules naturally diffuse to evenly distribute throughout the beaker.
Step-by-step explanation:
Diffusion is the movement of particles from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration. An example of diffusion is the spreading of dye in a beaker of water. As the dye molecules move randomly, they will spread evenly throughout the beaker until they are equally distributed. This demonstrates how particles naturally diffuse down their concentration gradient.
The best example of diffusion is the spreading of dye in a beaker of water, as it illustrates the passive movement of particles from higher to lower concentration areas without the use of energy.
The example that best demonstrates diffusion is a) The spreading of dye in a beaker of water. This illustrates the movement of particles from an area of higher concentration (where the dye is initially added) to an area of lower concentration (throughout the water), eventually becoming evenly distributed. In contrast, ion pumps like the sodium-potassium pump involve active transport which requires energy to move ions against their concentration gradient, and phagocytosis, where a cell engulfs a particle, is an active process as well. Cellular movement can involve many processes, not strictly diffusion.
Diffusion is a form of passive transport, in which substances move across biomembranes down their concentration gradient without the need for energy consumption. It's an essential process for gasses like O2 and CO2 to freely cross cellular membranes. Higher temperatures can increase the diffusion rate by giving molecules more kinetic energy, enhancing their movement.