Question

On a container of chicken broth you notice the instructions to “shake well before serving.” Which of the following best describes the chicken broth?

A solution

An element

A compound

A suspension

A pure substance

Answer 1

Solution: Chicken broth is cloudy because it is colloidal, containing microscopic particles of chicken fat suspended in water-based soup. Like milk, cream or emulsion paint, the cloudy aspect of the solution is a manifestation of Tyndall effect. If the fat is removed, chicken broth is simply a homogeneous solution, otherwise, it becomes an emulsion with droplets of fat floating on the top of the water-based soup. If we are talking about a container, containing solid particles as well, this mixture becomes a suspension. That is why, it is written in the instructions to “shake well before serving.”