Topic summary
Continuous phase
Extracted from the Wikipedia article Colloid.
A colloid is a mixture in which one substance, consisting of microscopically dispersedinsolubleparticles, is suspended throughout another substance. Some definitions specify that the particles must be dispersed in a liquid, while others extend the definition to include substances like aerosols and gels. A colloid has a dispersed phase (the suspended particles) and a continuous phase (the medium of suspension). The term colloidal suspension refers unambiguously to the overall mixture. (In a narrower sense, a colloid is distinguished from other types of suspension by the smaller particle size.)