10. Which principle explains why oxygen and nitrogen diffuse at different rates in the atmosphere? Dalton's Law Graham's Law Gay-Lussac's Law Charles's Law

## Step 1<br />The problem is asking us to identify the principle that explains why oxygen and nitrogen diffuse at different rates in the atmosphere. The options provided are Dalton's Law, Graham's Law, Gay-Lussac's Law, and Charles's Law.<br /><br />## Step 2<br />Dalton's Law is about the total pressure exerted by the mixture of non-reactive gases. It does not explain the diffusion rates of gases.<br /><br />## Step 3<br />Gay-Lussac's Law states that the pressure of a gas is directly proportional to its absolute temperature, provided the volume is constant. This law does not explain the diffusion rates of gases.<br /><br />## Step 4<br />Charles's Law states that the volume of a gas is directly proportional to its absolute temperature, provided the pressure is constant. This law does not explain the diffusion rates of gases.<br /><br />## Step 5<br />Graham's Law, on the other hand, states that the rate of diffusion of a gas is inversely proportional to the square root of its molar mass. This means that lighter gases, such as hydrogen, will diffuse faster than heavier gases, such as oxygen or nitrogen.