Tyndall effect is the scattering of light by particles in a colloid or in very fine suspensions. This scattering makes a beam of light visible when viewed from the side.
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The Tyndall effect is a key characteristic that distinguishes colloids from true solutions.
It occurs because the particles in colloids are large enough to scatter light but small enough to remain suspended.
The intensity of the scattered light depends on the wavelength; shorter wavelengths (blue light) are scattered more than longer wavelengths (red light).
Examples of the Tyndall effect include the visibility of car headlights in fog and sunlight passing through smoke.
This phenomenon can be used to determine whether a mixture is a colloid or a true solution.
Review Questions
What is the primary cause of the Tyndall effect?
How can you use the Tyndall effect to differentiate between colloids and true solutions?
Why does blue light scatter more than red light in the Tyndall effect?
A heterogeneous mixture where one substance is dispersed evenly throughout another at a microscopic level, with particle sizes typically ranging from 1 nm to 1 µm.
True Solution: A homogeneous mixture where solute particles are completely dissolved in solvent, with particle sizes generally less than 1 nm.