A simple problem in comparative diffusion

Abstract

The problem of determining the amount of a given substance that has diffused into one life form given that a known amount has diffused into a second life form under the same conditions is studied under the assumption that: free molecular diffusion is the only process involved, the mass diffusion coefficients are known constants and the external concentration of the diffusing substance remains constant. The solution of this comparative diffusion problem is obtained in terms of the external concentration value and the physical properties of each life from for the special case of a cylinder-sphere configuration of the pair. The properties of this solution are them determined for all reasonably small and sufficiently large values of the external concentration value. The solution for arbitary configurations is also obtained and on the basis of the results established here, several conjectures are proposed regarding its general properties