Passive Diffusion of Ions or Molecules
The cartoon to the right illustrates passive diffusion. The dashed line is intended to indicate a membrane that is permeable to the molecules or ions illustrated as red dots. Initially all of the red dots are within the membrane. As time passes, there is net diffusion of the red dots out of the membrane, following their concentration gradient. When the concentration of red dots is the same inside and outside of the membrane the net diffusion ceases. However, the red dots still diffuse into and out of the membrane, but the rates of the inward and outward diffusion are the same resulting in a net diffusion of O.