Tut. It would. But if I were to throw in a lump of chalk, it would lie undissolved at the bottom.
Pup. But it would make the water white.
Tut. True, while it was stirred; and then it would be a diffusion. But while the chalk was thus mixed with the liquor, it would lose its transparency, and not recover it again till, by standing, the chalk had all subsided and left the liquor as it was before.
Pup. How is the cream mixed with the tea?
Tut. Why, that is only diffused, for it takes away the transparency of the tea. But the particles of cream being finer and lighter than those of chalk, it remains longer united with the liquor. However, in time the cream would separate too, and rise to the top, leaving the tea clear. Now, suppose you had a mixture of sugar, salt, chalk, and tea-leaves, and were to throw it into water, either hot or cold; what would be the effect?
Pup. The sugar and salt would be dissolved and disappear. The tea-leaves would yield their colour and taste. The chalk—I do not know what would become of that.
Tut. Why, if the mixture were stirred, the chalk would be diffused through it, and make it turbid or muddy; but on standing, it would leave it unchanged.
Pup. Then there would remain at bottom the chalk and tea-leaves?
Tut. Yes. The clear liquor would contain in solution salt, sugar, and those particles of the tea in which its colour and taste consisted; the remainder of the tea and the chalk would lie undissolved.
Pup. Then I suppose tea-leaves, after the tea is made, are lighter than at first.