Answer to Question #166361 in General Chemistry for Reycel Joy Salvador

Question

Account for the difference in color of the filtrate of aqueous methylene blue and that of the original mixture. What is the importance of the principle of adsorption in colloidal system? What determines the adsorbing power of a given adsorbent? Relate this to colloidal system.

Answer 1

The tendency of molecules and ions to adhere to the surface of certain solids or liquids is called adsorption. Colloidal particles show a high tendency of adsorption. Thus, colloidal systems provide a large surface area for adsorption of molecules and ions.

Absorption power of a given colloidal system depends on the concentration of a solution, thickness of the solution layer, nature of a colloidal substance and light wavelength.