Dispersed phase and dispersion medium in clouds are _______ respectively.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Liquid, Gas
A cloud is made of tiny droplets of water (sometimes ice particles) floating in air. The droplets are the dispersed phase and air is the dispersion medium. A colloid of a liquid dispersed in a gas is called an aerosol; fog and mist are other examples.
Why the other options are incorrect
Option (2) Gas, Liquid — Incorrect. A gas dispersed in a liquid is a foam, such as froth or whipped cream, not a cloud.
Option (3) Gas, Gas — Incorrect. Gases mix completely to form a true solution, so a gas-in-gas colloid does not exist.
Option (4) Liquid, Liquid — Incorrect. A liquid dispersed in a liquid is an emulsion, such as milk.
Note: This question is from the pre-rationalised NCERT book (2022-23). The topic is not there in the latest NCERT book (2026-27), and it is also out of the CUET 2026 syllabus.
NCERT (Pre-rationalised edition, 2022-23):
Classification Based on Physical State of Dispersed Phase and Dispersion Medium
