Chemistry: what is a colloid?
Tutoring chemistry, mixtures are important. The tutor mentions the idea of a colloid.
A colloid is a mixture with two phases: the dispersing medium and the dispersed constituent. Some examples are foam, mayonnaise, fog, cheese, and mud. One key characteristic of a colloid is that the dispersed particles cannot, by the naked eye, be distinguished from the medium; it all looks like one thing. Colloids are metastable (see my post here) in that they do not separate when left standing.
Colloids are part of a larger class of mixtures called dispersions.
Source:
Jack of Oracle Tutoring by Jack and Diane, Campbell River, BC.
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