What is Tyndall effect ?
Answers
The Tyndall effect, also known as Willis–Tyndall scattering, is light scattering by particles in a colloid or in a very fine suspension. It is named after the 19th-century physicist John Tyndall. It is similar to Rayleigh scattering, in that the intensity of the scattered light is inversely proportional to the fourth power of the wavelength, so blue light is scattered much more strongly than red light. An example in everyday life is the blue colour sometimes seen in the smoke emitted by motorcycles, in particular two-stroke machines where the burnt engine oil provides these particles.
Under the Tyndall effect, the longer wavelengths are more transmitted while the shorter wavelengths are more diffusely reflected via scattering. The Tyndall effect is seen when light-scattering particulate matter is dispersed in an otherwise light-transmitting medium, when the diameter of an individual particle is the range of roughly between 40 and 900 nm, i.e. somewhat below or near the wavelengths of visible light (400–750 nm).
It is particularly applicable to colloidal mixtures and fine suspensions; for example, the Tyndall effect is used in nephelometers to determine the size and density of particles in aerosols and other colloidal matter.
✒ What is the Tyndall Effect ?
- The Tyndall effect is the phenomenon in which the particles in a colloid scatter the beams of light that are directed at them.
- This effect is exhibited by all colloidal solutions and some very fine suspensions.
- Therefore, it can be used to verify if a given solution is a colloid.
- The intensity of scattered light depends on the density of the colloidal particles as well as the frequency of the incident light.
- When a beam of light passes through a colloid, the colloidal particles present in the solution do not allow the beam to completely pass through.
- The light collides with the colloidal particles and is scattered.
✒ Examples of the Tyndall Effect
1. Milk is a colloid that contains globules of fat and protein. When a beam of light is directed at a glass of milk, the light is scattered. This is a great example of the Tyndall effect.
2. When a torch is switched on in a foggy environment, the path of the light becomes visible. In this scenario, the water droplets in the fog are responsible for the light scattering.
3. Opalescent glass has a bluish appearance when viewed from the side. However, orange-colored light emerges when light is shined through the glass.