Is a cup of tea with leaves suspension?

* Suspension: A suspension is a mixture where particles of a substance (the solute) are dispersed throughout a liquid (the solvent) but are not dissolved. These particles are usually larger than those in a solution and will settle out over time.

* Tea: The tea leaves in a cup of tea release their soluble components (like tannins, caffeine, and pigments) into the water, creating a solution. The insoluble parts of the leaves (like cellulose) remain as a solid in the tea.

Therefore, a cup of tea is not a suspension because the soluble components of the tea leaves dissolve into the water.

To illustrate the difference:

* Suspension: Think of sand in water. The sand particles are visible and will settle to the bottom eventually.

* Tea: The tea leaves release their color and flavor into the water, but the leaves themselves do not dissolve completely. The remaining solid parts of the tea leaves are not suspended, they are simply submerged in the tea solution.