A colloidal dispersion differs from a suspension in that colloidal particles
A) tend to settle at an appreciable rate
B) are large enough to scatter light
C) are large enough to be seen with the naked eye
D) are large enough to be seen with a microscope

Question

A colloidal dispersion differs from a suspension in that colloidal particles
A) tend to settle at an appreciable rate
B) are large enough to scatter light
C) are large enough to be seen with the naked eye
D) are large enough to be seen with a microscope

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Colloidal particles are intermediate in size between true solutions and suspensions. They are small enough to not settle out of the mixture, but large enough to scatter light. Suspensions, on the other hand, have much larger particles that will eventually settle at an appreciable rate. Both colloidal dispersions and suspensions are usually not visible to the naked eye and require microscopic observation.

A Colloidal Dispersion Differs from a Suspension in That Colloidal