Colloid vs. Emulsion — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on October 11, 2023
Colloid is a mixture in which microscopically dispersed insoluble particles are suspended throughout another substance. Emulsion is a colloid where both phases are liquids, often oil and water.
Difference Between Colloid and Emulsion
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Colloid, an entity in physical chemistry, refers to a system wherein fine particles are suspended evenly throughout a medium, without being dissolved. Emulsion, on the other hand, is a type of colloid where the suspended particles are liquid droplets, typically oil in water or vice versa. The fundamental distinction in definitions is evident: while all emulsions are colloids, not all colloids are emulsions.
Colloid systems do not allow particles to settle and cannot be separated by physical means like filtration. Emulsions, being a subtype of colloids, share this feature but with a notable specificity to two immiscible liquid phases. Understanding both involves acknowledging that colloids encompass various phase combinations, while emulsions strictly involve liquids.
Colloids showcase the Tyndall effect, which is the scattering of light by particles in a colloid, rendering a beam of light visible through the mixture. Emulsions, while displaying the Tyndall effect owing to their colloidal nature, also often require stabilizers (emulsifiers) to prevent coalescence and separation of the liquid phases, thus securing stability.
Scientifically, colloids have particle sizes between 1 and 1000 nanometers, and are stable, homogeneous, and isotropic. Emulsions, adhering to these colloidal properties, demonstrate unique behaviors like creaming or sedimentation depending on the densities and gravitational effects on the dispersed phase.
In practical applications, colloids are observed in numerous forms like foams, sols, and gels, extending their relevance across different scientific domains. Emulsions, though narrower in scope, hold paramount significance in industries like food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics, denoting utility primarily in product formulation and delivery systems.
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Comparison Chart
Type
General category
Subtype of colloid
Phases Involved
Can involve solids, liquids, or gases
Involves two immiscible liquids
Example
Fog (gas in liquid)
Mayonnaise (oil in water)
Stability without additive
Can be stable without stabilizers
Often requires emulsifiers for stability
Application examples
Medicine, pollution control, etc.
Food products, cosmetics, etc.
Compare with Definitions
Colloid
Colloids exhibit the Tyndall effect, scattering light through the mixture.
A beam of light shone through a colloid like milk reveals the light path distinctly.
Emulsion
Emulsions can be oil-in-water (O/W) or water-in-oil (W/O) depending on the phases.
Cream is an oil-in-water emulsion, where fat droplets are dispersed in water.
Colloid
Colloids have particle sizes between 1 and 1000 nanometers.
The particles in a colloid of gelatin dessert are of the aforementioned size range.
Emulsion
An emulsion is a colloid with droplets of one liquid dispersed in another.
Mayonnaise is an emulsion of oil in water.
Colloid
Colloids can exist in various forms including gels, sols, and foams.
Butter, being a gel-type colloid, consists of water and milk proteins dispersed in fat.
Emulsion
Emulsions can display phenomena like creaming, inversion, or breaking.
An emulsion salad dressing can separate into its oil and vinegar phases over time.
Colloid
A colloid is a heterogeneous mixture in which solute-like particles don’t settle.
Fog is a colloid of water droplets suspended in air.
Emulsion
Emulsions play a critical role in industries like food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics.
Lotion is an emulsion that generally contains oil and water phases for skin hydration.
Colloid
Colloids may consist of combinations of solid, liquid, and gas phases.
Whipped cream is a colloid comprising gas in a liquid.
Emulsion
An emulsion is a mixture of two or more liquids that are normally immiscible (unmixable or unblendable) owing to liquid-liquid phase separation. Emulsions are part of a more general class of two-phase systems of matter called colloids.
Colloid
A colloid is a mixture in which one substance of microscopically dispersed insoluble particles are suspended throughout another substance. However, some definitions specify that the particles must be dispersed in a liquid, and others extend the definition to include substances like aerosols and gels.
Emulsion
A fine dispersion of minute droplets of one liquid in another in which it is not soluble or miscible
Oil beaten to an emulsion with a half tablespoonful of vinegar
Colloid
A system in which finely divided particles, which are approximately 1 to 1,000 millimicrons in size, are dispersed within a continuous medium in a manner that prevents them from being filtered easily or settled rapidly.
Emulsion
A type of paint used for walls, consisting of pigment bound in a synthetic resin which forms an emulsion with water
Three coats of white emulsion
Colloid
The particulate matter so dispersed.
Emulsion
Paint with emulsion
If the lining paper is not opaque, the wall should also be emulsioned
Colloid
The gelatinous stored secretion of the thyroid gland, consisting mainly of thyroglobulin.
Emulsion
A suspension of small globules of one liquid in a second liquid with which the first will not mix
An emulsion of oil in vinegar.
Colloid
Gelatinous material resulting from degeneration in diseased tissue.
Emulsion
A photosensitive coating, usually of silver halide grains in a thin gelatin layer, on photographic film, paper, or glass.
Colloid
Of, relating to, containing, or having the nature of a colloid.
Emulsion
A stable suspension of small droplets of one liquid in another with which it is immiscible.
Mayonnaise is an emulsion where egg is used to keep oil and water mixed.
Colloid
Glue-like; gelatinous.
Colloid tumours
Emulsion
(chemistry) A colloid in which both phases are liquid.
Colloid
(chemistry) A stable system of two phases, one of which is dispersed in the other in the form of very small droplets or particles.
Emulsion
(photography) The coating of photosensitive silver halide grains in a thin gelatine layer on a photographic film.
Colloid
(meteorology) An intimate mixture of two substances, one of which, called the dispersed phase (or colloid), is uniformly distributed in a finely divided state throughout the second substance, called the dispersion medium (or dispersing medium).
Emulsion
Any liquid preparation of a color and consistency resembling milk; as: (a) In pharmacy, an extract of seeds, or a mixture of oil and water united by a mucilaginous substance. (b) In photography, a liquid preparation of collodion holding salt of silver, used in the photographic process.
Colloid
(geology) A particle less than 1 micron in diameter, following the Wentworth scale
Emulsion
(chemistry) a colloid in which both phases are liquids;
An oil-in-water emulsion
Colloid
Resembling glue or jelly; characterized by a jellylike appearance; gelatinous; as, colloid tumors.
Emulsion
A light-sensitive coating on paper or film; consists of fine grains of silver bromide suspended in a gelatin
Colloid
A substance (as albumin, gum, gelatin, etc.) which is of a gelatinous rather than a crystalline nature, and which diffuses itself through animal membranes or vegetable parchment more slowly than crystalloids do; - opposed to crystalloid.
Emulsion
Emulsions generally require an emulsifying agent for stability.
Egg yolk in mayonnaise acts as an emulsifier, preventing the emulsion from separating.
Colloid
A gelatinous substance found in colloid degeneration and colloid cancer.
Colloid
A mixture with properties between those of a solution and fine suspension
Common Curiosities
What are the different types of colloids?
There are several types, including sols (solid in liquid), gels (solid in solid), aerosols (liquid or solid in gas), emulsions (liquid in liquid), and foams (gas in liquid).
What is the size range of colloidal particles?
Colloidal particles typically range from 1 to 1000 nanometers in size.
What is a colloid?
A colloid is a mixture in which one substance is dispersed uniformly throughout another, but the dispersed particles are not dissolved and are larger than individual molecules.
What is the Tyndall effect?
It's the scattering of light by colloidal particles, making a beam of light visible as it passes through a colloidal dispersion.
What is an emulsion?
An emulsion is a type of colloid where two immiscible liquids are mixed together, with one being dispersed in the other in the form of tiny droplets.
Can we see colloidal particles with the naked eye?
No, colloidal particles are generally too small to be seen with the naked eye but are large enough to scatter light.
Why don't the liquids in an emulsion separate on their own?
Emulsions are stabilized by substances called emulsifiers, which reduce the surface tension between the two immiscible liquids and prevent them from separating.
Why are colloids and emulsions important in everyday life?
They play a significant role in various industries, including food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals, and also in biological systems.
What are the two main types of emulsions?
Oil-in-water (O/W) and water-in-oil (W/O). In O/W, oil droplets are dispersed in water, and in W/O, water droplets are dispersed in oil.
Are colloids and emulsions thermodynamically stable?
Generally, they are thermodynamically unstable but kinetically stable. This means that over time, given enough energy or change in conditions, they might separate into their individual components, but this can take a very long time under certain conditions.
Give an example of an emulsion.
Mayonnaise is a common example where oil is dispersed in water (with egg yolk as an emulsifier).
How is an emulsion different from other colloids?
An emulsion specifically refers to a colloid in which both the dispersed and dispersing mediums are liquids.
Can emulsions be found in nature?
Yes, milk is a natural emulsion of fat in water.
Can the properties of the dispersed phase in colloids (including emulsions) be different from their bulk counterparts?
Yes, often the properties of substances when in a colloidal state can differ significantly from their bulk or individual molecular states.
How can colloids, including emulsions, be destabilized?
By changing temperature, pH, or by adding electrolytes or other substances that interfere with the forces stabilizing the colloid.
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Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
