What does atmolyze mean?
Atmolyze is a technical verb meaning to separate a mixture of gases by passing them through a porous barrier, such as unglazed porcelain or plaster, so that each gas diffuses at a rate determined by its molecular weight. The resulting process, called atmolysis, rests on Graham's law of effusion, formulated by the Scottish chemist Thomas Graham in the nineteenth century, which established that lighter gases permeate porous materials faster than heavier ones. The word derives from the Greek atmos, meaning vapor or steam, combined with lyein, to loosen or dissolve, so it literally suggests "loosening vapors apart." Today atmolyze is essentially obsolete outside historical accounts of physical chemistry; modern science describes the same principle when discussing isotope separation by gaseous diffusion, notably in uranium enrichment. Writers encountering the term will find it chiefly in older textbooks and scholarly discussions of the history of chemistry.
verbTo separate a mixture of gases by causing them to diffuse through a porous material, exploiting their differing rates of diffusion; the process is known as atmolysis.
- To separate a mixture of gases by diffusion through a porous septum or material (atmolysis).
"The chemist used a porous porcelain septum to atmolyze hydrogen from the gas mixture."
"Because helium diffuses through porous partitions far faster than air, early physicists could atmolyze mixtures to isolate the lighter gas."
"Graham's experiments on effusion showed that a suitable barrier could atmolyze a blend of hydrogen and nitrogen into enriched fractions."
Atmolyze comes from Greek roots meaning "vapor" and "to loosen" — scientists literally loosen gases apart by letting them seep through porous walls at different speeds.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of atmolyze
Atmolyze was formed in the nineteenth century from the Greek atmos (vapor, steam) and lyein (to loosen, dissolve), on the model of words like analyze and electrolyze. It names the action of atmolysis, the separation of gases by differential diffusion through a porous partition. The same Greek elements appear in related terms such as atmosphere (atmos + sphaira, sphere) and in other -lyze verbs built on lyein. The technique itself grew out of Thomas Graham's pioneering studies of gaseous effusion and diffusion.
Related word forms
How atmolyze is actually used
"Atmolyze" is a rare, technical verb confined almost entirely to historical chemistry and physics literature, particularly texts discussing Thomas Graham's work on gaseous diffusion. It appears only in transitive use, typically in the passive or with an instrument as object, and modern writers usually prefer the noun "atmolysis" or simply describe diffusion separation directly.
Easily confused with atmolyze
"Analyze" means to examine something in detail or break it down methodically, while "atmolyze" refers specifically to separating gases by diffusion through a porous barrier.
"Catalyze" means to accelerate a chemical reaction by means of a catalyst, whereas "atmolyze" means to separate gases by differential diffusion.