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A solution is a mixture of solvent and solute. A solvent is generally a liquid in which various materials or solutes dissolve to form a solution. A solute is a substance dissolved in a solvent that forms a solution.
The size of the substance or particles may vary such that the particles may be seen with the naked eye or as several micrometers small, in a colloidal suspensions solution. The particles that are dissolved or dispersed in a solution have sizes ranging from 1nm to several microns. They are called colloids. The suspension particles are heterogeneous, and their sizes are more than 1000 nm.
Colloidal Solutions
Colloidal Solutions or Colloids are mixtures of two insoluble particles suspended microscopically in one another. In colloids, one particle is split into very minute particles known as colloidal particles and are then mixed with the second substance to form a solution. Colloidal solutions are heterogeneous. A heterogeneous mixture is a mixture where the true solution’s composition and particle size are not uniform. For example
A heterogeneous mixture is vegetable soup, where the consistency of vegetables to the soup would be different in every spoon.
A colloidal system of a solution has two phases. They have a dispersed phase and a dispersion medium.
A dispersed phase is a phase that is dispersed or scattered by the dispersion medium. It is also known as the discontinuous medium.
A dispersion medium is a phase where the scattering occurs in the colloidal solution. It is also known as the continuous medium.
The two-phase that constitutes the colloidal solution can be in any state of matter, i.e., gas, liquid and solid.
For example, milk, butter, and whipped cream.
The term ‘sol’ is used when a solid is dispersed in a liquid, solid, or gas medium—for example, ink, butter, jellies, etc.
The dispersion of a solid in a gaseous medium is called aerosol—for example, smoke, dust, soot in the air, etc.
When the dispersion phase is a solid and the dispersion medium is a liquid, it is called a colloidal solution.
Suspension
Another form of solution is Suspension. A suspension is defined as a heterogeneous mixture in which the solid particles are spread across the liquid without dissolving in it. The particle size of the true solution is visible with the naked eye.
Definition of Suspension
Suspensions are mixtures in which the particle size is greater than 1000 nm. When dirt is dissolved in water that is vigorously churned, the particles of the solution settle at the bottom of the container after a while due to gravity; this is an example of suspension.
The particles in the real solution can be seen with the naked eye. Suspension exhibits Brownian motion and the Tyndall effect.
Properties of Colloids and Suspensions
A suspension is a heterogeneous combination of several substances.
There are many tiny particles of dissolved solute present in the suspension. It has a diameter of more than 100 mm.
The suspension’s particles are visible.
Suspension particles do not pass through a filter paper. Filtration can therefore be used to separate a suspension.
Differences between Colloids and Suspensions
The differences between suspension and colloid solutions are tabulated below:
True Solution
A true solution is a homogeneous mixture that comprises particles mixed in the correct composition and adequately dissolved. The solution’s particles are almost the same size and can easily pass through a filter paper. A homogeneous mixture is a mixture in which the composition is uniform across the mixture. An example of a homogeneous mixture is saltwater:
Salt is dissolved throughout the saltwater sample. A uniform composition doesn’t mean that it can’t be varied.
If you mix 1 tablespoon of salt in 500 ml of water, it will mix well. Suppose if you add another tablespoon, chances are even that will mix well.
But if at this point you add 5 more tablespoons of salt, the solution might have already crossed its saturation level and is no longer a homogeneous mixture.
The composition can only be mixed up to a certain point before its properties change.
Conclusion:
Colloids are a medium with dissolved or scattered particles ranging in size from 1mm to several microns. A colloidal system has a dispersed phase and a dispersed medium. The dispersed phase (also known as the discontinuous phase) is the phase that ia s dispersed or scattered throughout the dispersion medium. The dispersion medium, also known as the continuous medium, is the phase in which scattering occurs. The size of the colloidal particles in a colloidal solution determines the colour of the solution. Colloids have unique properties like they exhibit the Tyndall effect which makes them different from suspensions.
