Colloids, Suspensions and Solutions
Solutions are uniform mixtures, suspensions contain particles that settle out, and colloids have tiny particles that stay spread out.
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Solutions are uniform mixtures, suspensions contain particles that settle out, and colloids have tiny particles that stay spread out.
- Milk is a colloid
- Muddy water is a suspension
- Light is scattered by colloids
🧠 Quick quiz
Three questions. Score 2 or more to complete the topic.
What is Colloids, Suspensions and Solutions?
Within Chemistry, which covers atoms, bonding, reactions, the periodic table, organic chemistry and the chemistry of everyday life, this topic explains Colloids, Suspensions and Solutions. Chemistry links what you can see in the lab to the particles and bonds behind it, so each topic here shows that link in a model.
Check that you can explain Colloids, Suspensions and Solutions in your own words and give one example from everyday life. If you can do that, you have understood the core idea.
Understanding Colloids, Suspensions and Solutions helps you explain why substances behave as they do, from cleaning products and food to medicines.
Colloids, Suspensions and Solutions in detail
In a solution, the solute dissolves completely into particles too small to see, and the mixture is clear and does not separate. In a suspension, large particles of a solid are spread through a liquid, and it is cloudy and settles on standing and can be filtered, as in muddy water.
A colloid has particles of intermediate size, between 1 and 1,000 nm, that stay dispersed and scatter light (the Tyndall effect) but do not settle or filter out. Milk, fog, mayonnaise and gelatine are colloids. These categories are classified by particle size and are important in food, paints and medicines.
How the interactive helps you understand Colloids, Suspensions and Solutions
Click a card to flip it and reveal the answer, then move on to the next one.
Before you change anything, predict the result. Then change one value at a time and check whether your prediction was right. This is a quick way to build a correct mental model of Colloids, Suspensions and Solutions.
Real-life uses and examples
- Link Colloids, Suspensions and Solutions to everyday products such as cleaning agents, food and medicines.
- Read a chemical equation or diagram and work out what Colloids, Suspensions and Solutions shows.
- Explain Colloids, Suspensions and Solutions in an exam by linking the particles involved to what you observe.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Mixing up the names of substances or ions when you describe Colloids, Suspensions and Solutions.
- Describing what happens without explaining the particles or bonds involved.
- Learning the definition without testing it. Use the quiz and the interactive to check that you can apply the idea.
Frequently asked questions about Colloids, Suspensions and Solutions
What is Colloids, Suspensions and Solutions?
Solutions are uniform mixtures, suspensions contain particles that settle out, and colloids have tiny particles that stay spread out.
What are the most important points about Colloids, Suspensions and Solutions?
The main points are: Milk is a colloid; Muddy water is a suspension; Light is scattered by colloids.
Why is Colloids, Suspensions and Solutions useful?
Understanding Colloids, Suspensions and Solutions helps you explain why substances behave as they do, from cleaning products and food to medicines.
How can I practise Colloids, Suspensions and Solutions?
Open the interactive at the top of this page and change the controls one at a time. Predict the result before each change, then take the three-question quiz. A score of two or more marks the topic as complete on this device.
Which topics are related to Colloids, Suspensions and Solutions?
Related topics in Chemistry include Ceramics, Glass and Composites, Hydrogen and Fuel Cells, Matter and Its Properties.