Which property most definitively distinguishes a suspension from a colloid?
Settling of particulates under gravitational force
Correct Answer: Settling of particulates under gravitational force
The definitive property that distinguishes a suspension from a colloid is sedimentation (settling under gravity).
- Suspension: Particles >1000 nm; visible to naked eye; settle on standing; heterogeneous.
- Colloid: Particles 1–1000 nm; not visible to naked eye; do not settle on standing; show Tyndall effect.
'Absence of light scattering' is incorrect — colloids scatter light (Tyndall effect), so the absence of scattering does not distinguish suspensions from colloids in a definitive way. Gravitational settling is the single most definitive test.
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