The solid that settles at the bottom of a suspension is called which term?

The solid that settles at the bottom of a suspension is called which term?

• A. Precipitate
• B. Sediment
• C. Deposit
• D. Residue

Answer: (A)

A precipitate is a solid that forms when dissolved substances react or when a solution becomes supersaturated and a solid crystallizes, then settles out of the liquid as the suspension stands. This use of precipitate specifically describes a solid formed from the solution itself, not just any material that happens to settle. Sediment, by contrast, refers to any material that settles, including undissolved particles that were never formed by a chemical change. Deposit and residue are broader terms that don’t emphasize formation from a solution. So the solid that comes out of solution and settles is best described as a precipitate.

A precipitate is a solid that forms when dissolved substances react or when a solution becomes supersaturated and a solid crystallizes, then settles out of the liquid as the suspension stands. This use of precipitate specifically describes a solid formed from the solution itself, not just any material that happens to settle. Sediment, by contrast, refers to any material that settles, including undissolved particles that were never formed by a chemical change. Deposit and residue are broader terms that don’t emphasize formation from a solution. So the solid that comes out of solution and settles is best described as a precipitate.