Review Conceptual Example 6 before working this problem. For water vapor in air at 293 K, the diffusion constant is D = 2.4 × 10-5 m2/s. As outlined in Problem 51(a), the time required for the first solute molecules to traverse a channel of length L is t = L2/(2D), according to Fick's law. 

(a) Find the time t for L = 0.010 m. 

(b) For comparison, how long would a water molecule take to travel L = 0.010 m at the translational rms speed of water molecules (assumed to be an ideal gas) at a temperature of 293 K? 

(c) Explain why the answer to part (a) is so much longer than the answer to part (b).