Question

How to Write a practical experiment of Tyndall effect on my lab manual

Answer 1

Light, on passing through a colloidal mixture, gets scattered by its particles. This effect is called the Tyndall effect. This extract gives an insight into the definition of the Tyndall effect, and a detailed explanation, coupled with a labeled diagram.

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Explanation of the Tyndall Effect with Labeled Diagram



Light, on passing through a colloidal mixture, gets scattered by its particles. This effect is called the Tyndall effect. This extract gives an insight into the definition of the Tyndall effect, and a detailed explanation, coupled with a labeled diagram.

 ScienceStruck Staff

 Last Updated: Feb 23, 2018

Identifying Colloids

Only colloids are capable of suspending light rays that are focused on them. This is called the Tyndall effect. No other type of mixture allows this process to occur. Thus, this effect can be used to distinguish between types of mixtures. Solutions that allow this effect can be termed as colloids.

We all have learned about the different types of mixtures: solution, colloid, and suspension. They differ from each other based on the degree of solubility of the solute in the solvent. A solution is a type of mixture in which the solute particles completely dissolve into the solvent. Whereas, in case of a suspension, particles do not dissolve at all. A colloid is the intermediate between a solution and a suspension. Its particles are too small to be seen without an ultra-microscope, but are certainly bigger in size than those of a solution. Let us now understand the important role played by particle size in the Tyndall process.

Definition of Tyndall Effect with a Labeled Diagram

This phenomenon is named after the physicist John Tyndall. It defines the way by which different types of mixtures react to the passage of light focused onto them. In order to understand the concept of this effect, we need to understand which of the wavelengths of light are reflected, and which are transmitted. Here, the light particles having a shorter wavelength are scattered, while those with a longer wavelength are allowed to pass through.

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