The topical application of an aqueous solution of ferric chloride () or alum directly to a bleeding wound rapidly stops the bleeding. What explicit surface chemistry phenomenon is fundamentally respon

Question

The topical application of an aqueous solution of ferric chloride ($FeCl_3$) or alum directly to a bleeding wound rapidly stops the bleeding. What explicit surface chemistry phenomenon is fundamentally responsible for this critical styptic action?

Prashant Kotian · Accepted Answer

Correct answer: B. Human blood is fundamentally a colloidal dispersion of strictly negatively charged albuminoid substances. Highly charged cations like (from ) and (from alum) efficiently and rapidly neutralize this negative surface charge according to the Hardy-Schulze rule, causing immediate massive coagulation (clotting) that physically seals the wound.

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