Colloids and Solutions

[artistnurse]

Can someone give a "dumbed down" explanation of what a colloid is and the difference between colloids and solutions?

[rph3664]

A colloid is a suspension where the particles are so small, or the suspending liquid is so viscous, the particles will not settle out or will take a very long time to do so.

A solution is one where the particles dissolve into the liquid.

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

The protein particle in colloids never lose their individuality. They may disperse throughout a liquid, but they are always individuals and identifiable. Blood serum is an example of a colloid. It has many proteins throughout it that each retain their individual identities and can be easily identified. But together, they are colloid.

When you put a teaspoon of salt in a cup of water it goes immediately into solution, or dissolves, so the salt loses its individuality as salt. The salt breaks down into simple chemical elements dispersed uniformly in the water.

[VenaCava]

Colloid - many suspended molecules (usually proteins) in a liquid

Think of mixing sand in a bucket of water... it will all eventually settle at the bottom in the end

Solution - contains a solute (molecules being dissolved) and a solvent (liquid that the solutes dissolve in)

Think of sugar in coffee