In our circulatory system, blood transports blood cells and dissolved ions when it moves through the body. Which of the following terms is suitable for blood?

Question

anonymous · Answer

Blood is a suspension. Solutions are homogeneous mixtures, which blood obviously isn't, and colloids are also homogeneous mixtures with a dispersed phase and a continuous phase. A suspension is a mixture with the important characteristic that the substances do not automatically settle out and require time to do so. Blood can also be separated, a characteristic inclusive of suspensions and exclusive of homogeneous solutions and colloids. More importantly, however, it is a heterogeneous mixture of various undissolved RBC's and WBC's, proteins, platelets, compounds, solid particles, etc. which are suspended IN a solution but is not characteristically a solution as its entire self, blood.