Hence, the particles of the crystalline suspensions tend to settle down spontaneously and are easily filtered. The effect of gravity on these large particles is considerably higher than that of colloidal particles.

A crystalline suspension is composed of particles having large diameters about a tenth of a millimeter or greater. Colloidal suspensions often look like clear solutions due to the scattering of visible radiation.Ĭrystalline precipitates are solid masses formed in a crystalline suspension. But by adding a suitable coagulating agent, we can form large particles or a precipitate that is easy to filter. Since these particles are very tiny, it is difficult to obtain them via filtering. Since the effect of gravity on these particles is very little, they do not tend to settle down at the bottom of the container. These particles are invisible to the naked human eye. A colloidal suspension is composed of particles having diameters ranging from 10 -7 to 10 -4 cm. Key Terms: Crystalline Suspension, Crystalline Precipitate, Colloidal Precipitate, Colloidal Suspension, Ionic Compound, Precipitants, Precipitation, Relative Supersaturation, SolubilityĬolloidal precipitates are solid masses formed in colloidal suspensions. What is the Difference Between Colloidal and Crystalline Precipitate The main difference between colloidal precipitate and crystalline precipitate is that colloidal precipitates do not form easily and are difficult to be obtained via filtering whereas crystalline precipitates are easily formed and are easily obtained via filtering. Colloidal precipitates are formed in colloidal suspensions while crystalline precipitates are formed in crystalline suspensions. There are two types of suspensions as colloidal suspensions and crystalline suspension based on the particle size in the suspension. But later on, the precipitate particles will sediment to the bottom of the container unless disturbed. The formed precipitate may stay as a suspension in the solution if there isn’t sufficient gravity. The low temperature reduces the solubility of salts, causing them to precipitate in the solution. In addition, precipitates can form when the temperature of the solution is lowered. The chemical species that cause this precipitation is called precipitants. Then these ions can react with each other to form a precipitate or stay as a solubilized ion in that solution. Soluble ionic compounds can break into their ions in the solution. A precipitate is formed when two soluble ionic compounds are mixed. Precipitation is the formation of an insoluble solid mass in a liquid solution this insoluble solid mass is called the precipitate. Main Difference – Colloidal vs Crystalline Precipitate

Precipitate meaning in chemistry