Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 19, 2026

The Diffusion of Passive Tracers in Laminar Shear Flow
Published on: May 1, 2018
Statistical-mechanical theory of passive transport through partially sieving or leaky membranes
1Instituto de Investigaciones en Materiales, Universidad Nacional de Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico.
Abstract:
The basic equations for multicomponent transport through partially sieving or leaky membranes are discussed from a statistical-mechanical viewpoint. They have the same mathematical form as the corresponding equations for open membranes, but differ in a discontinuous way from the equations for semipermeable membranes (since a "leak" in a semipermeable membrane constitutes a discontinuous or singular perturbation). Partially sieving membranes can be made to mimic semipermeable behavior through the introduction of characteristic time scales. They may approximate semipermeable behavior at short times, but always deviate at longer times.
Related Concept Videos
The Significance of Membrane Transport
Transporters facilitate either an active or passive movement of solutes. They can allow a single-molecule transport down its...
The Significance of Membrane Transport
Transporters facilitate either an active or passive movement of solutes. They can allow a single-molecule transport down its...
Fluid Movement Between Compartments
Facilitated Transport
Facilitated Transport
Facilitated Transport

