A group of students took an old shoe box and covered it with a black paper from all sides. They fixed a source of light (a torch) at one end of the box by making a hole in it and made another hole on the other side to view the light. They placed a milk sample contained in a beaker/tumbler in the box as shown in the figure.
They were amazed to see the milk taken in the tumbler was illuminated. They tried the same activity by taking a salt solution but found that light simply passed through it?
1. Explain why the milk sample was illuminated. Name the phenomenon involved.
2. Same results were not observed with a salt solution. Explain.
3. Can you suggest two more solutions which would show the same effect as shown by the milk solution?
1. Milk sample is a colloidal sol also called emulsion. It got illuminated because of the scattering of light on passing through it. The phenomenon is known as Tyndall effect.
2. The salt solution is a true solution and not a colloidal solution. It will not show any Tyndall effect.
3. A solution of sulphur in water and a solution of starch in water.