What is a key characteristic of a suspension?

A key characteristic of a suspension is that its particles are not completely dissolved in the liquid, which is why agitation is necessary to keep the particles evenly distributed throughout the mixture. If left undisturbed, the solid particles in a suspension will eventually settle at the bottom due to gravity. This property distinguishes suspensions from solutions, where the solute is fully dissolved and remains uniformly mixed without the need for continual agitation.

The necessity for agitation ensures that the active ingredients in a suspension are evenly dispersed, thereby enhancing consistency and effectiveness, especially in medicinal or pharmaceutical contexts. In contrast to suspensions, solutions are characterized by the solute being completely dissolved in the solvent, and gas bubbles typically characterize froths or foams rather than suspensions. A fine crystalline structure is also more relevant to solid materials than to the behavior of suspensions, as it pertains to the arrangement of solute molecules in a solid state.