Here are the types of mixtures, as it relates to dissolution and separation and stability.
Solutions -- the liquid acts as a solvent for another substance. The other substance dissolves into the liquid. The liquid remains homogeneous, and the dissolved substance does not separate.
Suspensions -- the liquid does not dissolve the other substance. The other substance is suspended in the liquid (normally by virtue of the liquid's turbulence, a.k.a. Brownian motion). These tend to separate, although they can be stabilized (so that they don't separate).
Emulsions -- this is a type of suspension, where both substances are liquids. They tend to separate like suspensions, and also they can be stabilized.
Colloids -- a two phase system in which one phase, the disperse phase, is suspended in the form of very fine particles in a second phase, the continuous phase.
Some definitions....
Here are the types of mixtures, as it relates to dissolution and separation and stability.
Solutions -- the liquid acts as a solvent for another substance. The other substance dissolves into the liquid. The liquid remains homogeneous, and the dissolved substance does not separate.
Suspensions -- the liquid does not dissolve the other substance. The other substance is suspended in the liquid (normally by virtue of the liquid's turbulence, a.k.a. Brownian motion). These tend to separate, although they can be stabilized (so that they don't separate).
Emulsions -- this is a type of suspension, where both substances are liquids. They tend to separate like suspensions, and also they can be stabilized.
Colloids -- a two phase system in which one phase, the disperse phase, is suspended in the form of very fine particles in a second phase, the continuous phase.
I believe that both suspensions and emulsions are types of colloids. For further reading, see:
http://sst.tees.ac.uk/external/u0000504/Notes/colloids/colloids01/colloids01.html
Oh dear.
:)