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Suspension: Similar to a muddy puddle or a glass of tomato
juice, a suspension is a cloudy mixture that will separate into layers of
components if it is not mixed/moved. In other words, when you have a jar ¼ full of
water and ¼ full of oil, and you stir or shake it up vigorously, it will merge
to look like a solution with droplets floating around, but when you stop stirring or shaking it, it will
separate and become layered once again. An emulsifier,
however, stops this separation. Eggs yolks are good emulsifier in cooking, as
is mustard. A glass of suspended oil and water is a mechanical mixture
when separated, because you can see it with your eyes, but if you shake it up,
it becomes a suspension. Tomato or orange juices with pulp are other suspensions,
because the juice and the pulp are of different consistencies. All suspensions
that are not treated with an emulsifier do eventually changes classification, to
a mechanical mixture, if they are not shaken up.