What is Tyndall Effect?

The scattering of light (light beam) through a colloidal solution is referred to as the Tyndall effect. When particles in a colloid scatter light beams directed at them and make its path visible, this is known as the Tyndall effect. This effect can also be seen in some very fine suspensions. 

For example, the Tyndall effect is exhibited by starch solution, milk, jelly, and fog as they are colloidal solutions. Other than Colloids fine suspensions like muddy water or chalk powder in water both show the Tyndall effect, but rocks in water are also a suspension but don’t show the Tyndall effect.

Tyndall effect is the scattering of light by a colloid or an extremely tiny solution of particles. It is also known as the Tyndall phenomenon and is similar to Rayleigh scattering, in that the intensity of the scattered light is inversely proportional to the wavelength’s fourth power, with blue light being scattered far more intensely than red light.

On the other hand, the Tyndall effect is caused by particles of the same size as the wavelength of light, whereas Rayleigh scattering is caused by particles much smaller than the wavelength of light. The British physicist John Tyndall, who conducted the initial and in-depth studies of this effect, is honored with its name.