Colloid
Colloids, or colloidal dispersions, are things sort of intermediate between true solutions and mixtures, or suspensions: things where microscopic globs of one substance, said to be in the dispersed phase (solute phase), are distributed throughout another, said to be in the dispersing phase (continuous phase, solvent phase).
Colloids can be classified as follows:
| Dispersed Phase | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dispersing Phase | Gas | - | Liquid aerosol, e.g.: fog, mist | Solid aerosol, e.g.: smoke, dust |
| Liquid | Foam, e.g.: whipped cream | Emulsion, e.g.: milk, mayonnaise, hand cream | Sol, e.g.: paint, ink | |
| Solid | Solid foam, e.g.: styrofoam | Gel, e.g.: gelatin, jelly, cheese | Solid sol, e.g.: ruby glass | |