Which of the following is a characteristic difference between colloids and true solutions?

The correct answer is True solutions have a single-phase system, whereas colloids have a two-phase system.

Key Points

• A true solution is a homogeneous mixture of two or more substances.
• In a true solution, the solute particles are completely dissolved in the solvent, forming a single-phase system.
• A colloid is a heterogeneous mixture where the solute particles do not dissolve but are dispersed throughout the solvent.
• Colloids consist of a dispersed phase and a dispersion medium, forming a two-phase system.
• The particles in colloids are larger than those in true solutions but are still invisible to the naked eye.
• True solutions are transparent, while colloids can be opaque or translucent.

 Additional Information

• True solutions have visible solute particles, whereas colloids have invisible dispersed particles.
  • In true solutions, solute particles are not visible as they are at the molecular or ionic level.
  • In colloids, the dispersed particles are also invisible to the naked eye but are larger than those in true solutions.
• True solutions exhibit Brownian motion, but colloids do not.
  • Brownian motion is the random movement of particles in a fluid, observed in colloids rather than true solutions.
  • True solutions do not exhibit Brownian motion as their particles are too small to be observed under normal conditions.
• True solutions show the Tyndall effect, but colloids do not.
  • The Tyndall effect is the scattering of light by particles in a colloid, making the light beam visible.
  • True solutions do not show the Tyndall effect as their particles are too small to scatter light.