General chemistryLesson 3 of 3 in the course Solutions and Colloids

Colloids: Classification, Preparation, and Applications

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

Colloids occupy a middle ground between solutions and suspensions. Understanding their particle size and behavior helps explain everyday materials such as clouds, paint, and milk.

A solution is a homogeneous mixture in which dissolved molecules or ions are too small to see and do not settle out. A solution may have color, but it is generally transparent.

All flashcards

What is a colloid?
A heterogeneous dispersion with particles larger than most simple molecules but small enough that they generally do not settle out under ordinary conditions.
How do solutions, colloids, and suspensions differ?
Solution particles are molecular or ionic and do not settle; colloidal particles are larger and scatter light but usually remain dispersed; suspension particles are larger and settle out.
What does the Tyndall effect reveal?
It reveals the presence of colloidal particles by their scattering of light, which can make a light beam visible through the mixture.
What are the dispersed phase and dispersion medium?
The dispersed phase is the particulate component, usually in the smaller amount. The dispersion medium is the material throughout which those particles are distributed.
How do dispersion and condensation methods differ?
Dispersion breaks larger particles into colloidal-sized particles; condensation forms colloidal particles by joining smaller units such as molecules or ions.

Quiz questions

  1. What distinguishes a colloid from a suspension when the mixture is left standing?Answer: Colloidal particles generally remain dispersed, while suspension particles settle out.
  2. What is the Tyndall effect?Answer: The scattering of light by colloidal particles.
  3. In a colloid, what is the dispersed phase?Answer: The component distributed through the medium, usually present in the smaller amount.
  4. A manufacturer grinds large pigment particles until they are colloidal in size. Which preparation method is being used?Answer: A dispersion method, which breaks larger particles into smaller ones.
  5. Why can condensing water droplets eventually produce rain rather than a stable cloud?Answer: The droplets can grow beyond colloidal size and fall under gravity.

Based on Chemistry 2e by Paul Flowers, Klaus Theopold, Richard Langley, William R. Robinson, PhD (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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