Final answer:
Diffusion is the process by which gas molecules in a flowing gas mixture move from areas of higher concentration to areas of lower concentration, leading to a dynamic equilibrium. This movement is influenced by kinetic energy and occurs both in living systems for transporting oxygen and other gases and in nonliving systems, as described by Graham's law.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a gas mixture flows and gas molecules are carried from place to place by the fluid flow, the process occurring is known as diffusion. Gas molecules move freely and randomly due to their kinetic energy. Over time, this results in the gas molecules transferring from regions of relatively high concentration to regions of lower concentration.
In the case of a mixture of gases, each gas will diffuse according to its own concentration gradient. The continued movement of molecules from areas of higher concentration to areas of lower concentration without any net change in concentration over time leads to a dynamic equilibrium.
In living systems, diffusion is crucial for the transport of substances such as oxygen and small uncharged molecules into and out of cells. Moreover, diffusion not only happens in biological contexts but also in nonliving systems.