EXPERIMENT: COLLOIDS: PROPERTIES OF COLLOIDAL

DISPERSION

OBJECTIVE:
This experiment was held to study the general properties of a ferric
hydroxide sol, starch solution and some true solutions.

INTRODUCTION
A colloidal system is one with components one of two phases - gas,
liquid or solid. There are two components existing, one of which being
dispersed phase and the other known as the continuous medium.
Colloidal dispersion is a type of mixture whose properties are between
heterogeneous mixture and homogeneous mixture. It consist of particles
between 1- 1000 nanometers and has two phases which are dispersed phase
and dispersing phase. While precipitate can be held back in filter paper,
colloidal particles cannot because the size of its particles is smaller than the
pores in the filter paper. However, there are lot of types of membrane, such as
cellophane, restrict the passage od dispersed colloidal particles more than
they restrict the passage of dissolved ions or molecules. The colloidal particle
passes through a filter paper but should be trapped by a cellophane film.
Another feature of colloidal system is Tyndall Effect, which involves the
scattering of light by particles in the colloid.
In this experiment, the concentrated solution of iron(III) chloride is
heated and hydrolysis occurs producing hydrogen chloride. The dark brown
solution turns murkier as a precipitate of iron(III) hydroxide forms. This
hydrolysis is reversible:
FeCl3(aq) + 3H2O(l) Fe(OH)3(s) + 3HCl(aq)
When concentrated iron(III) chloride solution is added to the large beaker of
hot water, a cherry-red is seen, due to the formation of colloidal iron(III) oxide.

APPARATUS CHEMICAL
1. Beaker or conical flask(1L) 1. Ferric hydroxide sol.
2. Test-tube 2. Deionised water
3. Boiling tube 3. 5% starch solution
4. Teat pipette 4. 1% starch solution
5. Filter funnel and filter paper 5. 10% sucrose solution
6. Cellophane membrane 6. 0.1 M sodium chloride solution

7. Hot water bath 7. Dilute iodine solution

8. 0.1 M silver nitrate
9. 0.1 M sodium phosphate
10. 0.1 M sodium sulphate
11. potassium chromate solution
12. Fehling solution
13. Potassium hexacyanoferum(II)
solution
14. Diluted sulphuric acid.

PROCEDURE
For dialysis, 5 test tubes were cleaned and dried and were filled with
5 cm3 each of the following solutions:
Test tube A: 5% starch solution
Test tube B: sodium chloride solution 0.1 M
Test tube C: ferric hydroxide sol.
Test tube D: 10% sugar solution
Test tube E: potassium chromate solution (K2CrO4)
The mouth of the all test tubes were wrapped with pre-soak
cellophane membrane and fasten it tightly with a thread. The test tubes were
inverted and dipped in different small beakers containing deionised water.
the test tubes were clamped and leave for 1 hour. 4. After 1 hour dialysis,
3 cm3 of the deionised water were taken in the each beakers and were tested
with a few drops of the following reagents:
Starch solution : dilute iodine solution
Chloride solution : silver nitrate solution
Fe3+ ions solution : potassium hexacyanoferum(II) solution.
Sugar solution : Fehling solution (warm the mixture to about
60oC in the water bath)
Chromate ion solution: ethanol solution (add 4-6 drops of dilute
H2SO4 to the mixture, then warm the mixture in the water bath)
all the observations were recorded in the data sheet.
 For stability of ferric hydroxide sol., 3 test tubes were cleaned and
dried and were filled with 2 cm3 of ferric hydroxide sol and was labeled as test
tube 1, 2, 3. 2 cm3 of an electrolyte were added to each of the test tubes
according to the table below :

Test tube Type of electrolyte added

1 Sodium chloride, NaCl
2 Sodium sulphate, Na2SO4
3 Sodium phosphate, Na3PO4
After the addition of the electrolyte, the test tubes was shaken and were left to
stand for a few minutes. Observations were recorded in the data sheet.

For Tyndall effect, five 100 cm3 beakers were cleaned and dried
and were labelled as A, B, C, D and E. Each beaker was filled about ½ full
with the following solutions :
Beaker A: 1% starch solution,
Beaker B: 5% starch solution
Beaker C: ferric hydroxide sol
Beaker D: 10% sugar solution
Beaker E: potassium chromate solution (K2CrO4)
The Tyndall effect of each solution were observed by using a narrow beam of
light from a laser pointer and our observations were recorded.
DISCUSSION
This experiment was held in order to differentiate the properties of the
colloidal dispersion and the molecular dispersion through the dialysis method,
stability of ferric hydroxide solution and Tyndall effect by using 1% 5% starch
solution, sodium chloride solution, potassium chromate and 10% sucrose
solution as the samples.
For part A, dialysis is the process of separating electrolytes in the
colloidal state from those present in the true solution by means of diffusion
through a membrane. In this experiment, all the solution in each test tube
shows physical changes which means they showed colour changes. It shows
that the dialysis was occurred in all the test tube.
In Part B, the stability of ferric hydroxide was tested with NaCl,
Na2SO4 and Na3PO4. For the first test tube, there is no change in color can be
observed (NaCl). The second test tube, brown precipitate was formed in
Na2SO4 and the third test tube, a cloudy solution was formed. The colloidal
ferric hydroxide particle are positively charge in ferric hydroxide solution. The
stability of a colloidal solution is due to the presence of a particular type of
charge on all the colloidal present The colloidal particles pushing each other
away due to the presence of equal charges. This keep them dispersed in the
medium and the colloidal remain stable.
The result in the table of Tyndall effect are the proof of existence and
non-existance of Tyndall effect in various solution. The light of the laser
pointer pass through the solution of 5% starch, ferric hydroxide sol, 10%
sugar solution and potassium chromate. For 0.1 M of sodium chloride solution,
the light of laser pointer scattered which the solution showed the Tyndall
Effect. Tyndall Effect occur when the reflection of light by very small particles
in suspension in a transparent medium.
There some precautions and error that we took in this experiment. In part
A the dialysis of potassium chromate should change to light orange colour.
We cannot get the exact same result in the theory due to the impatient that
exist while handling the experiment. The cellophane membrane was kept wet
in deionized water and it was tight tightly to ensure no solution pass through
the membrane.
CONCLUSION
The general properties of a ferric hydroxide sol, starch solution and some
true solutions was determined.
REFERENCES
Suspension, colloids and solution, Khan Academy
https://www.khanacademy.org/science/chemistry/states-of-matter-and-interm
olecular-forces/mixtures-and-solutions/v/suspensions-colloids-and-solutions
Experiment- Colloids, Jenine Balbedina,
https://prezi.com/g5gzvlf91pez/experiment-5-colloids/
QUESTIONS
1. With an appropriate example, explain the difference between true solution,
suspension and colloid.

True Solution Suspension Colloid

A homogeneous mixture of
two or more substances in
which substance dissolved
(solute) in solvent has the
particle size of less than
10-9 m or 1 nm.
a heterogeneous mixture in a heterogeneous mixture in
which particle size of one or which particle size of
more components is greater substance is intermediate of
than 1000nm. true solution and
suspension i.e. between
1-1000 nm.

Solution of sugar Particle of muds in watter Smoke from a fire

2. What are gels and their types? For different type of gels explain their
differences on dehydration and soaking properties.

Elastic gel Non-elastic gel

Dehydration properties
Soaking properties
The elastic gel turns to The no-elastic gel turns
solid mass on to solid mass on
dehydration which can dehydration but the
again be converted into solid mass cannot
gel by addition of beconverted again
water followed by into gel after
heating and cooling. addition o f
watercooling.
The gel will absorbed The water is not
water and swell when absorbed b y t h e g e l
soaked into water and the
s i z e remains when
soaked into water.
3. What kind of information can be obtained from light-scattering experiment
on colloidal particles in aqueous solutions? Explain your answer.

The Tyndall effect is causes by light – scattering particulate matter dispersed

in a light transmitting medium, when the cross-section of an individual
particulate is the range of roughly between 40 and 900 nanometers, or
somewhat below or near the wavelength of visible light (400–750 nanometers).
To put it simply, Tyndall Effect is caused by the reflection of light by very small
particles in suspension in a transparent medium. In this, light with a longer
wavelength is transmitted while those with a shorter wavelength are reflected.
Thus, size of colloidal particles in a medium contributes to the appearance of
Tyndall Effect. An example of this is when headlight beams are visible in foggy
nights. Another is when we see the dust in the air as the sun comes in through
a window. The Tyndall effect is used to tell the difference between the different
types of mixtures, namely solution, colloid, and suspension