Colloid: meaning, definitions and examples

Use to describe any mixture where one substance is dispersed evenly in another without dissolving, covering a broad category.

• Milk is a colloid composed of fat droplets dispersed in water.
• Fog is a colloid of water droplets in air.

Best in situations where two liquids that normally don't mix, like oil and water, are evenly dispersed in one another.

• Mayonnaise is an emulsion of oil and vinegar stabilized by egg yolk.
• Lotion is a kind of emulsion used for moisturizing skin.

Useful for semi-solid states where a liquid has a structure, often through a network of polymers.

• Hair gel helps style and hold hair in place.
• Gelatin dessert is a popular example of a gel.

Applicable for a fluid colloid where solid particles are dispersed in a liquid.

• Paint is a sol with pigments dispersed in a liquid medium.
• Blood can be considered a sol with cells dispersed in plasma.

Colloid is used in scientific and medical contexts to describe a mixture where one substance is dispersed evenly throughout another. It is often discussed in chemistry or when talking about specific types of intravenous fluids that expand blood volume.

• Milk is a common colloid where fat globules are dispersed in water.
• In medical emergencies, colloids can help restore blood volume.

Intravenous fluid is a broad term used in medical contexts to refer to any liquid that is administered into a vein. It can include a variety of fluids like saline, glucose solutions, or medications to hydrate, deliver nutrients, or treat medical conditions.

• The nurse set up an intravenous fluid to rehydrate the dehydrated patient.
• Intravenous fluids are commonly used in hospitals to administer drugs directly into the bloodstream.

Blood plasma expander is used specifically in medical contexts to describe a type of intravenous fluid that helps increase the volume of plasma in the blood. It is particularly relevant in emergency medicine or during surgery to treat shock or blood loss.

• The patient was given a blood plasma expander to treat severe blood loss.
• Doctors often use blood plasma expanders during surgeries to maintain blood pressure.