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Alloy vs Colloid - What's the difference?

alloy | colloid |

As nouns the difference between alloy and colloid

is that alloy is a metal that is a combination of two or more elements, at least one of which is a metal while colloid is a stable system of two phases, one of which is dispersed in the other in the form of very small droplets or particles.

As a verb alloy

is to mix or combine; often used of metals.

As an adjective colloid is

glue-like; gelatinous.

alloy

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) alai, from (etyl) aloi, from aloiier.

Noun

(en noun)
  • A metal that is a combination of two or more elements, at least one of which is a metal.
  • An admixture; something added which stains, taints etc.
  • *, II.20:
  • Metrodorus said that in sadnesse there is some aloy of pleasure.
    Derived terms
    * superalloy

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) .

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To mix or combine; often used of metals.
  • To reduce the purity of by mixing with a less valuable substance.
  • to alloy gold with silver or copper, or silver with copper
  • (figurative) To impair or debase by mixture.
  • to alloy pleasure with misfortunes

    See also

    * (wikipedia "alloy") *

    Anagrams

    *

    colloid

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Glue-like; gelatinous.
  • colloid tumours

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (chemistry) A stable system of two phases, one of which is dispersed in the other in the form of very small droplets or particles.
  • (meteorology) An intimate mixture of two substances one of which, called the dispersed phase (or colloid ), is uniformly distributed in a finely divided state throughout the second substance, called the dispersion medium (or dispersing medium). The dispersion medium may be a gas, a liquid, or a solid, and the dispersed phase may also be any of these, with the exception that one does not speak of a colloidal system of one gas in another. A system of liquid or solid particles colloidally dispersed in a gas is called an aerosol. A system of solid substances or water-insoluble liquids colloidally dispersed in liquid water is called a hydrosol.
  • (geology) A particle less than 1 micron in diameter, following the Wentworth scale
  • Derived terms

    * colloidal

    See also

    * solid sol solid in solid * sol solid in liquid * aerosol solid or liquid in gas * gel liquid in solid * emulsion liquid in liquid * foam gas in liquid or solid * aerogel gas in solid