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Encyclopedia of Animal Cognition and Behavior pp 1–3Cite as

Diffusion

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Synonyms

Dispersal; Spreading

Definition

Diffusion:

is derived from the word of Latin origin, diffundere, meaning “to spread way out.” It is a physical process involving the net movement of molecules (solute) from a region of its high concentration to lower concentration. The process whereby the spontaneous movement of the particles of liquids, gases, or solids causes them to intermingle and spread uniformly throughout a region of higher concentration to one of lower concentration. It can involve either the spreading of a material through a medium or the transport of a particle across a membrane.

Explanation of Diffusion in the Context of Different Disciplines

The concept of diffusion is widely used in: physics, chemistry, biology, sociology, economics, and finance (diffusion of people, ideas, and of price values). However, in each one of them, the object (e.g., atom, idea, etc.) that is undergoing diffusion is “spreading out” from a point or location at which there is a higher...

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References

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  • Mehrer, H., & Stolwijk, N. A. (2005). Heroes and highlights in the history of diffusion. Diffusion Fundamentals, 2, 1.1–1.10.

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  • Philibert, J. (2009). One and a half century of diffusion: Fick, Einstein, before and beyond. Diffusion Fundamentals, 11(1), 1–32.

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  • Spaeth, E. E., & Friedlander, S. K. (1967). The diffusion of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and inert gas in flowing blood. Biophysical Journal, 7(6), 827–851.

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  • Wyatt, T. D. (2014). Pheromones and animal behavior: chemical signals and signatures (2 ed.). Cambridge University Press.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Molecular Biology Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, India

    Shruti Mishra

Authors
  1. Shruti Mishra
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shruti Mishra .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Oakland University , Rochester, MI, USA

    Jennifer Vonk

  2. Department of Psychology, Oakland University Department of Psychology, Rochester, MI, USA

    Todd Shackelford

Section Editor information

  1. Department of Psychology, Durham University, Durham, UK

    Zanna Clay

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© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

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Mishra, S. (2019). Diffusion. In: Vonk, J., Shackelford, T. (eds) Encyclopedia of Animal Cognition and Behavior. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47829-6_1878-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47829-6_1878-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-47829-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-47829-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Behavioral Science and PsychologyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences

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