Suspension is a type of heterogeneous mixture in which solid particles are dispersed throughout a liquid without dissolving in it. The particles in a suspension are visible to the naked eye and can be separated from the liquid by filtration. The size of particles in a suspension is at least 100 times larger than particles in a solution. Some common examples of suspension are muddy water, milk of magnesia, sand particles suspended in water, flour in water, slaked lime for whitewashing, and paints in which dyes are suspended in turpentine oil.
The general characteristics and properties of suspensions are as follows:
- A suspension is a heterogeneous mixture.
- The constituent particles of the suspension mixture can be seen by the naked eye.
- The size of particles in a suspension is more than 100 nm.
- Suspension shows the Tyndall effect, which means particles of a suspension scatter a beam of light passing through it and make its path visible.
- If the suspension is left undisturbed, the solute particles settle down after some time.
In summary, suspension is a type of heterogeneous mixture in which solid particles are dispersed throughout a liquid without dissolving in it. The particles in a suspension are visible to the naked eye and can be separated from the liquid by filtration.
