Kinds of Mixtures

Solutions

A solution is a homogeneous mixture of two or more substances. A solution

may exist in any phase.

A solution consists of a solute and a solvent. The solute is the substance

that is dissolved in the solvent. The amount of solute that can be dissolved in
solvent is called its solubility. For example, in a saline solution, salt is the solute
dissolved in water as the solvent. For solutions with components in the same
phase, the substances present in lower concentration are solutes, while the
substance present in highest abundance is the solvent.

Using air as an example, oxygen and carbon dioxide gases are solutes,
while nitrogen gas is the solvent.
 CHARACTERISTICS OF A SOLUTION

A chemical solution exhibits several properties:

 A solution consists of a homogeneous mixture.

 A solution is composed of one phase (e.g., solid, liquid, gas).
 Particles in a solution are not visible to the naked eye.
 A solution does not scatter a light beam.
 Components of a solution cannot be separated using simple mechanical
filtration.

SOLUTION EXAMPLES

Any two substances which can be evenly mixed may form a solution. Even
though materials of different phases may combine to form a solution, the end
result always exists of a single phase.

An example of a solid solution is brass. An example of a liquid solution

is aqueoushydrochloric acid (HCl in water). An example of a gaseous solution is
air.

Solution Type Example

gas-gas air
gas-liquid carbon dioxide in soda
gas-solid hydrogen gas in palladium metal
liquid-liquid gasoline
solid-liquid sugar in water
liquid-solid mercury dental amalgam
solid-solid sterling silver
Suspension
What is a Suspension?
A suspension is a heterogeneous mixture in which solute-like particles settle out of a
solvent-like phase sometime after their introduction. We use the terms 'solute-like' and 'solvent-
like' because we are dealing with a heterogeneous mixture, while the terms solute and solvent
refer to homogeneoussolutions.

We apply the word 'suspension' when particles are big enough to eventually settle. If the
particles are too small to ever settle, they are said to form a colloid.

Examples of Suspensions

Example 1
Sometimes, in the right light, you will be able to see particles of dust floating in a room.
Eventually the dust will settle on the floor and on furniture, and the room will need to be cleaned.
Dust in air is a suspension.

Example 2
If you go to a beach and mix sand and water in a bucket you will form a suspension. Given
time, the sand will settle on the bottom of the bucket to leave clear water.
 Colloid

Colloid Definition: 

A type of homogeneous mixture in which the dispersed particles do not settle out.

Examples: butter, milk, smoke, fog, ink, paint