Scattering Effect in Colloidal Solutions
The phenomenon observed when light passes through a colloidal solution and is scattered by the dispersed particles is known as the Tyndall Effect. This scattering causes the path of the light beam to become visible.
Understanding the Tyndall Effect
The Tyndall Effect occurs because the size of the colloidal particles (typically between 1 nm and 1000 nm) is large enough to scatter visible light waves. This is a characteristic property used to distinguish colloidal solutions from true solutions, where particles are too small to scatter light noticeably.
Why Other Options Are Incorrect
- Refraction: This is the bending of light as it passes from one medium to another, due to a change in speed. It does not involve scattering by particles.
- Dispersion: This typically refers to the splitting of white light into its constituent colors (like in a prism) or the separation of components in a mixture over time. It's not the direct term for light scattering in colloids.
- Reflection: This is the bouncing back of light when it hits a surface. It does not describe light passing through and scattering within a medium.
Therefore, the specific effect of light scattering by particles in a colloidal solution is the Tyndall Effect.
Important Questions from Surface Chemistry
- Which one of the following is not a colloid ?
The following item consists of two statements, Statement I and Statement II. Examine these two statements carefully and select the correct answer using the code given below :
Statement I : Catalytic hydrogenation is highest when the catalyst remains in the powdered form
Statement II : When a catalyst is in the powdered form, its surface area becomes highestOn adding some detergent to water, the surface tension
- The process by which a chemical change takes place in a substance when electric current is passed through it is called
At the end of the chemical reaction the catalyst remains
