ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Diffusion coefficient

Diffusion coefficient is like a special number that tells how fast tiny things can move from one place to another. Think of little bugs in a big room. Some of them move really fast, while others move slower. The diffusion coefficient is like a measure of how quickly they can spread out in the room.

In science, we use diffusion coefficient to describe how quickly particles move through liquids, gases, or solids. It's important to know how fast these tiny things can travel because it helps us understand how they can move, mix, or react with other particles.

The diffusion coefficient is affected by a lot of different things, like temperature, pressure, and the type of particles involved. Different materials or gases may have different diffusion coefficients because they behave differently under different conditions.

For example, if you drop a drop of food coloring into a glass of water, it will slowly spread out until the whole glass is colored. This is because of diffusion, and the speed of diffusion depends on the diffusion coefficient of the food coloring molecules in water.

So, in summary, diffusion coefficient is a measure of how quickly tiny things can move, and it's important for scientists to understand how particles move, mix, or react with one another.