How can the Tyndall effect be used to distinguish between a colloid and a solution?
Can the presence of Brownian motion distinguis between a solution and a colloid? explain.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyndall_effect
The Tyndall effect can indeed be used to distinguish between a colloid and a solution. The Tyndall effect refers to the scattering of light by colloidal particles or particles suspended in a medium. When light passes through a colloid, the particles in the colloid scatter the light, causing it to become visible. In contrast, when light passes through a true solution, which consists of uniformly distributed particles at the molecular level, there is no scattering of light and the solution appears transparent.
To observe the Tyndall effect, you can shine a beam of light through a sample. If the light is scattered and you can see a visible beam, it indicates the presence of colloidal particles, therefore indicating that it is a colloid. On the other hand, if the light passes through the sample without scattering and appears transparent, it suggests that you are dealing with a true solution.
Regarding Brownian motion, it can also be used to distinguish between a solution and a colloid. Brownian motion refers to the random movement of particles suspended in a fluid resulting from their collision with molecules of the surrounding medium. In a colloid, the particles are larger and heavier than the particles in a true solution. As a result, these larger particles experience more noticeable and observable Brownian motion. This erratic movement caused by the constant bombardment of fluid molecules can be observed under a microscope.
In contrast, particles in a true solution are much smaller and lighter, and their Brownian motion is usually too rapid and unpredictable to be observed easily. So, if you observe visible Brownian motion of particles in a sample, it suggests that you are dealing with a colloid. If you do not observe any visible Brownian motion, it indicates that the sample is more likely a true solution.
To summarize, the Tyndall effect can be used to distinguish between a colloid and a solution by observing the scattering of light, while the presence of visible Brownian motion can also be an indicator of a colloid.