Definition

1. Noun:
   • (Chemistry, Colloid Science): A substance, typically a liquid or gas, in which another substance (the dispersed phase) is distributed in the form of fine particles, droplets, or molecules to form a colloid. It is the continuous phase that surrounds and supports the dispersed particles.

Usage

• The dispersion medium is the foundational component of a colloidal system, providing the environment in which the dispersed particles are suspended.
• In an oil-in-water emulsion, water is the dispersion medium.
• The stability of a colloid depends heavily on the properties of its dispersion medium.

Examples

Advanced Usage

• "Continuous Phase": A technical synonym often used interchangeably with "dispersion medium" in colloid chemistry.
  • The viscosity of the continuous phase, or dispersion medium, influences the rate of sedimentation.

Variants and Related Words

• Dispersed Phase (n): The substance that is distributed as particles within the dispersion medium.
  • In paint, the pigment is the dispersed phase.
• Dispersion (n): The general term for a system in which particles are dispersed within a medium.
  • Creating a stable dispersion requires a suitable dispersion medium.
• Medium (n): In a scientific context, a substance that surrounds or carries something.
  • The nutrient medium for bacterial growth.

Synonyms

• Continuous phase
• External phase
• Dispersing phase

Related Terms and Concepts

• Colloid (n): A mixture where one substance of microscopically dispersed particles is suspended throughout another substance.
  • A colloid consists of a dispersion medium and a dispersed phase.
• Suspension (n): A heterogeneous mixture where solid particles are dispersed in a liquid but are large enough to settle over time. (Note: The liquid in a suspension can also be called a dispersion medium, though the term is most precise for colloids).
• Solvent (n): A substance that dissolves a solute. (Note: A dispersion medium is not always a solvent, as in colloids the particles are dispersed, not necessarily dissolved).

Noun

1. (of colloids) a substance in which another is colloidally dispersed