Which term best describes a mixture with visible particles that can be separated by filtration?

• A. Colloid
• B. Suspension
• C. Solution
• D. Acid

Answer: (B)

The key idea is distinguishing mixtures by whether particles are visible and whether they can be separated by filtration. In a suspension, large particles are visible to the naked eye and can be trapped by a filter; they also tend to settle out if left standing. That fits a mixture like muddy water, where the solid particles can be filtered out. Colloids have smaller particles that stay dispersed and often do not settle, so ordinary filtration doesn’t remove them. Solutions are uniform; the dissolved particles are too small to see, and filtration doesn’t remove them. Acid is a chemical substance, not a description of a mixture. Therefore, the term that best describes a mixture with visible particles that can be separated by filtration is suspension.