Question

Problem 6 - Protein Diffusion. Using Fick's second law of diffusion determine the time scale for the protein lysozyme (MW=141 kg/mol) to diffuse a root-mean-squared distance of 10 um in three-dimensional space. You may assume that its diffusion coefficient is 10-6 cm2/s at 1 atm and 273 K.

Answer 1

Time, t = (delta x/D) ^2 delta x = 10 mu m = 0.001 cm, D = 10^-6 m/s t = (0.001) ^2/10^-6 = 1s

$\Delta x=10 \mu m=0.001 cm , D=10^{-6}cm/s$