Difference Between Colloidal Solution and Colloidal System
The true solution is the homogenous mixture, while Colloidal solution and Suspension are the heterogeneous mixtures of two or more substances. Another difference between these three types of solution is that the True solution is transparent, while the Colloidal solution is translucent and Suspension is opaque.
Concerning chemistry, Solutions can be defined as the mixtures of two or more substances, where the solvent is in the liquid form, and the solute can be liquid, solid or gas. There are many different types of solutions and have many distinct features, but in a broad sense, they can be categorized as True, Colloidal or Suspension solutions.
On the ground of size of the particles, nature of the solution, the ability of diffusion and sedimentation these solutions can be defined. They (solutions) are also differentiated by Brownian motion and Tyndall effect.
The Brownian motion is the haphazard movements or motion of the particles in the solution, which is due to their collision. On the other hand, the Tyndall effect is the effect of a beam of light passed through the liquid, the particles present in it (liquid) may give different results.
In this post, we will be focussing on the points on which the three types of solutions differ, along with a summary on them.
Content: True Solution Vs Colloidal Solution Vs Suspension
- Comparison Chart
- Definition
- Key Differences
- Conclusion
Comparison Chart
| Basis for Comparison | True Solution | Colloidal Solution | Suspension |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meaning | True solutions are the type of mixtures, where the solute and solvents are properly mixed in the liquid phase. | Colloidal solutions are the type of mixture, where the solute (tiny particles or colloids) is uniformly distributed in the solvent (liquid phase). | The suspension is the mixture, where the solute does not get dissolved, rather get suspended in the liquid and float freely in the medium. |
| Example | Sugar solution in water. | Starch dissolved in water. | Soil dissolved in water. |
| Nature of the solutions | Homogenous. | Heterogenous. | Heterogenous. |
| External appearance | Transparent. | Translucent. | Opaque. |
| Size of the particles (in diameter) | <1 nm. | 1-1000 nm. | >1000 nm. |
| Diffusion of the solution through parchment paper | Diffusion of the particles of the true solutions is simple and smooth through parchment and filter paper as well. | Particles of the colloidal solutions do not diffuse or pass through parchment paper, but it is easy through filter paper. | Particles of the suspension do not pass through parchment or filter paper. |
| Sedimentation | Will, not sediment. | Particles or colloids will not sediment. | Particles will get sediment. |
| Visibility of particles | In true solutions, particles are invisible through the naked eye. | The particles in the colloidal solution are visible through the electron microscope, but not through the naked eye. | The particles in the suspension are visible through naked eyes as well as under the electron microscope. |
| Tyndall effect | The true solution does show the Tyndall effect. | Tyndall effect is shown by the colloids in the colloidal solution. | The particles show Tyndall effect. |
| Brownian Movements | Particles in the true solution do show Brownian movements. | Particles in the colloidal solution show Brownian movements. | The particles show Brownian movements. |
Definition of True Solution
The homogenous mixture of two or more substances, where the solute is dissolved in the solvent is called the true solution. Here the size of the particles is less than 1 nm. The example of the true solution is when sugar or salt dissolved in water. The particles cannot be filtered or separated through filter paper or parchment paper. Even the particles are invisible through naked eyes.
As the mixture is in the liquid phase and transparent, it allows the light to pass through the solution without getting scattered. When the solution is said as homogenous, it means the particles are evenly distributed in the solution and do not get settled at the bottom of the container. As the amount of particles present in per unit volume of the solution is equal everywhere, the particle density is higher.
The Brownian effect is not observed in true solutions, and even the Tyndall effect is absent.
Definition of Colloidal Solution
The heterogeneous mixture of two or more substances, where the size of the particles lies between 1- 1000 nm, is known as a colloidal solution. The colloidal solution is the intermediate between true solution and suspension, though it is also in the liquid phase. When starch dissolved in water or Gelatin mixed in the water are the examples of the colloidal solutions, here the tiny particles will float instead of getting dissolved.
Likewise, the true solution, the particles of the colloidal solution are invisible through naked eyes but can be observed electron microscope.
The separation of the colloidal particles can be done through parchment paper, but not through the filter paper. The particles can be obtained by the process of centrifugation, where they (particles) will get settled at the bottom. As the mixture is the heterogeneous type, the particles are not evenly distributed in the solutions.
As the colloidal solutions are translucent, they allow the light to pass through the liquid, but due to the presence of particles, the light gets scattered. Brownian motion and Tyndall effect is observed in Colloidal solution. Emulsion, Foam, Sol, Hydrocolloid, Reversible or Irreversible Colloids are the various types of colloids.
Definition of Suspension
Suspensions are the mixture, where the size of the particles is more than the 1000 nm. When the soil is dissolved in water, which is stirred strongly, after some time the particles of the solution gets settle at the bottom of the container due to the gravity; This is the example of the suspension.
The particles in the true solution are visible through naked eyes. Brownian motion and Tyndall effect is observed in suspension.
Key Differences Between True Solution, Colloidal Solution, and Suspension
Following are the key differences between True Solution, Colloidal Solution, and Suspension:
- True solutions are the type of mixtures, where the solute and solvents are properly mixed in the liquid phase, while Colloidal solutions are the type of mixture in the liquid phase, where the solute (tiny particles or colloids) is uniformly distributed in the solvent (liquid phase). The suspension is the mixture, where the solute does not get dissolved, rather get suspended in the liquid and float freely.
- Sugar solution in water is the example of the true solution; Starch dissolved in water is the example of the colloidal solution and Soil dissolved in water is the suspension.
- True solutions are homogenous and are transparent in appearance, while colloidal solutions are heterogeneous and appear to be translucent, whereas suspension is also heterogenous but appear to be opaque.
- As the size of the particles is less than 1nm, the particles easily get pass through parchment paper and filter paper, but the particles size in colloidal solution is between 1-1000 nm, the particles of the colloidal solutions do not diffuse or pass through parchment paper but it is easy through filter paper, in the suspension the particle size is more than the 1000 nm, the particles of the suspension do not pass through parchment or filter paper.
- In the true solutions particles are invisible through the naked eye, while the particles in the colloidal solution are visible through the electron microscope, but not through naked eye and the particles in the suspension are visible through naked eyes as well as under electron microscope.
- Tyndall effect and Brownian effect is not observed in true solutions, while these features are not observed in colloidal solutions and suspension.
Conclusion
Likewise other things, diversity is seen in solutions. In chemistry, the solution is said as the mixture of two miscible or immiscible substances in the liquid or gas medium. In this content, we studied the three types of solution, their various characteristics and how they differ from each other.
Difference Between Colloidal Solution and Colloidal System
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