dispersing medium
- noun
- /dɪsˈpɜrsɪŋ ˈmiːdiəm/
- Specialized
:
medio dispersante
- Water is a common dispersing medium in many everyday colloids, such as milk or paint.
Examples
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The choice of dispersing medium affects the properties and stability of the resulting colloidal system.
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In smoke, air serves as the dispersing medium for fine solid particles.
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The dispersing medium is essential.
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Water is a common dispersing medium.
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In smoke, air serves as the dispersing medium for fine solid particles.
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The choice of dispersing medium affects the properties and stability of the resulting colloidal system.
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Water is a common dispersing medium in many everyday colloids, such as milk or paint.
Synonyms
A liquid or gas that holds very small particles, for example water holding oil drops
A liquid or gas that has tiny particles spread through it
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is compositionally built from 'disperse' (to spread or scatter) + 'medium' (a surrounding substance), so it literally denotes the substance in which something is dispersed. Although mainly used in technical contexts, the present-participle + noun pattern is regular and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents would be able to infer the meaning.
Etymology
Dispersing medium names the liquid or gas that helps tiny particles spread out. The part dispersing means 'spreading' and medium means the 'place' where particles float, so in milk or paint the water or air is the dispersing medium that keeps the tiny bits apart.
