Foams, Gels, Etc

Hello. I was just wondering what state foams, gels and other things of the same substance fit into. According to the teacher, there was another name for them, not solid, liduid, or gas. I think this is chemistry but I really need help. Thanks. Julia
- Julia Kawai (age 14)
HBS, London, England

Hi Julia- You’re right that various gels etc don’t fit in the common categories of solids, liquids and gases. Some of these things are sometimes called colloids. However, that’s not important. The important thing is to undertand the materials, not what names people give them.

These sorts of complicated "soft’ materials are studied by chemists, physicists, and materials scientists.

Mike W.

(published on 10/22/2007)