Question

To which of the following categories does ice-cream belong?
A. Solution
B. Emulsion
C. Element
D. Suspension

Answer 1

Hint : A mixture in which dispersed and insoluble particles of a substance are suspended throughout another substance is known as a colloid. It consists of two parts i.e., dispersion phase which consist of insoluble particles and the dispersion medium which consist of the medium in which insoluble particles are suspended.

Complete Step By Step Answer:
A colloid of two or more immiscible liquids in which one of the liquids contain the dispersion of other liquids is known as emulsion. In simple words, it is a special type of mixture which is formed when the two combining liquids are not capable of attaining homogeneity i.e., unmixable in nature.
Ice-cream is basically an emulsion of fat globules in a sugar-water solution i.e., the emulsifying agent creates a film over the phase which forms globules and repel each other. These repulsive forces lead the insoluble fat particles to remain suspended in the dispersion medium.
A solution is a homogeneous mixture of two or more substances while ice-cream is an immiscible mixture of fat particles and sugar-water solution. Hence, ice-cream is not a solution.
An element is a pure substance which consists of atoms which have the same number of protons in their atomic nuclei and cannot be further broken into simpler substances while ice-cream is an immiscible mixture. Hence, ice-cream is not an element.
A suspension is a heterogeneous mixture of very large solute particles in solutions. If a suspension is allowed to stand still, then the solute particles settle down in the solution whereas the solute particles in ice-cream are very fine and small and do not settle down when allowed to stand still. Hence, ice-cream is not a suspension.
Thus, option (B) is the correct answer.

Note :
It is important to note that, in ice-cream the air bubbles are present along with the mixture of fat particles and sugar-water solution due to which its structure becomes airy and porous. Hence, the presence of air indicates that the ice-cream is also a foam.