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Explain why particles of a colloidal solution do not settle down when leftundisturbed, while in the case of a suspension they do.

Question

Explain why particles of a colloidal solution do not settle down when leftundisturbed, while in the case of a suspension they do.

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Solution

The behavior of particles in a colloidal solution versus a suspension is due to the size of the particles and the forces acting on them.

  1. Particle Size: In a colloidal solution, the particles are much smaller than in a suspension. The size of particles in a colloidal solution ranges from 1 to 1000 nanometers, while in a suspension, the particle size is larger than 1000 nanometers.

  2. Brownian Motion: The small size of colloidal particles allows them to be continuously jostled by the random motion of the molecules of the dispersion medium (like water). This random motion, known as Brownian motion, prevents the particles from settling.

  3. Charge on Particles: Colloidal particles often carry an electric charge, which causes them to repel each other and not come together to form larger particles that can settle out.

In contrast, the particles in a suspension are larger and are not stabilized by Brownian motion or electrical charges. Therefore, they are influenced more by gravity and tend to settle out when left undisturbed.

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Similar Questions

The particles in solutions are smaller than the particles in suspensions or colloids.TrueFalse

Colloids, also known as colloidal solutions or colloidal systems, are mixtures in which microscopically dispersed insoluble particles of one substance are suspended in another substance. The size of the suspended particles in a colloid can range from 1 to 1000 nanometres (10-9 metres). For a mixture to be classified as a colloid, its suspended particles must not settle (in the manner that the particles of suspensions settle at the bottom of the container if left undisturbed). Colloidal solutions are known to exhibit the Tyndall Effect, which is a phenomenon in which beams of light incident on colloids are scattered due to the interactions between the light and the colloidal particles.

The stability of colloidal particles is due to this feature

Which of the following statements is not true about suspension?A The particles of suspension can be separated from solvent by the process of filtration. B When the suspension is kept undisturbed then the particle of suspension get settled. C A suspension is homogenous in nature. D Scattering of particles take place in freshly made suspension.

Explain the following giving examples: (a) Saturated solution (b) Pure substance (c) Colloid (d) Suspension

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