dispersed phase
- noun
- Specialized
:
fase dispersa
- In a mayonnaise emulsion, the oil is the dispersed phase suspended in the vinegar solution.
Examples
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It can invert because you have so much of the dispersed phase, so much oil, that the oil is the dispersed phase.
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However, CFD modeling and simulation of multiphase systems are challenging due to the additional weights imposed by the dispersed phase (solid particles, liquid droplets, etc.) properties.
Academic text (2018) -
The scientists studied the behavior of the dispersed phase in the foam to improve its stability.
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To understand the colloid better, we focused on how the dispersed phase interacts with the continuous phase.
Synonyms
1
6.7
Tiny bits spread through another substance, like fat droplets in milk
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly derivable from the constituents: 'dispersed' = distributed as small particles and 'phase' = a distinct component or part, so 'dispersed phase' straightforwardly denotes the component that is distributed. Although the term is technical (used in colloids/emulsions), the composition follows regular English noun-modifier patterns and equivalent phrasing exists in other languages, making it understandable to learners who know the parts.
Etymology
The term dispersed phase comes from the simple image of tiny particles spread through another substance. The word dispersed shows they are scattered and the word phase means a part, so it names the small bits inside the other 'continuous phase', which is why it means the substance made of those fine particles.