When hit by light, what happens to a colloidal mixture?

Diffracted

The correct answer is option 1. Diffracted.

When light hits a colloidal mixture, the phenomenon that predominantly occurs is known as the Tyndall effect. This effect involves the scattering of light by the colloidal particles.

Let us consider the given options in the context of the Tyndall effect:

1. Diffracted: Diffraction is the bending of light around the edges of an obstacle or aperture, which is more relevant to waves interacting with a barrier or slit rather than with dispersed particles in a colloid.

2. Passes through: While some light may pass through a colloidal mixture, the primary interaction is scattering rather than simple transmission.

3. Reflected: Reflection involves light bouncing off a surface. In the case of colloids, light is scattered in various directions rather than being predominantly reflected.

4. Absorbed: Absorption refers to light being taken up by the particles and converted to other forms of energy, such as heat. While some absorption can occur, the main interaction in a colloid is scattering.

Therefore, the most accurate description of what happens to light when it hits a colloidal mixture is scattering, which is not explicitly listed in the provided options. However, the best match from the given options is 1. Diffracted.

This choice is the closest, although technically scattering is the correct term for the interaction of light with colloidal particles, resulting in the Tyndall effect.