Why is milk white?!
The casein is soluble either in the water or the fat of the milk emulsion, and would be colorless and transparent in either case. Calcium, of course, is not white either. Even calcium carbonate is clear and colorless in a good crystal.
The whiteness is due to the scattering of light by the colloidal particles of the milk emulsion. Just the fact that we get white shows that there is no absorption, so whatever is there is transparent. This is true of most whites. The excellent white pigment titanium dioxide is actually made of clear crystals, dispersed as colloidal particles. Nearly all whites are the result of scattering from colloidal-sized particles. Colors, like green, may be produced in transmission by absorption of other colors; no such process can produce white, which in fact is a subjective color, existing completely in the visual sense. White is a very special color.
Answers: Why is milk white? was a question asked in my Summer, 2003 newsletter from the dairy that delivers my milk, Royal Crest Dairy in Denver. The answer given was: "Milk contains casein, a milk protein rich in calcium that is white." Well, whether it is the casein or the calcium that should be white, this answer is incorrect.
The casein is soluble either in the water or the fat of the milk emulsion, and would be colorless and transparent in either case. Calcium, of course, is not white either. Even calcium carbonate is clear and colorless in a good crystal.
The whiteness is due to the scattering of light by the colloidal particles of the milk emulsion. Just the fact that we get white shows that there is no absorption, so whatever is there is transparent. This is true of most whites. The excellent white pigment titanium dioxide is actually made of clear crystals, dispersed as colloidal particles. Nearly all whites are the result of scattering from colloidal-sized particles. Colors, like green, may be produced in transmission by absorption of other colors; no such process can produce white, which in fact is a subjective color, existing completely in the visual sense. White is a very special color.
because its made of butter well stirred up butter??
Because it is full of fat.
.That is its natural colour
Why is water clear????
would you drink it if it was yellow or black ?
The color white is nature's light buffet, in that it results from all the wavelengths of visible light being reflected into the eye. Casein and certain fats reflect wide ranges of wavelengths, causing milk to appear white.
Because milk is racist
so it can make your coffee a nice colour
It is a colloid and scatters light.
* Not all milk is. Flamingoes (one of only two types of bird to produce it) have bight red milk.
Seth, Edinburgh, Scotland
* Milk is white because it does not have a constant refractive index throughout and this makes the light scatter and reflect. It is basically fat and protein suspended in water. Cream has a higher fat content, and carotene in fat globules scatters yellow light and is responsible fot the different color of cream.
Philip Clarke, Letchworth UK
* Milk is white because it is made up predominantly of white blood cells (or puss if you prefer). So when you have a glass of milk you are in fact drinking a glass of puss. Yuck!
Michael Wakefield, East London South Africa
* Milk is made up of a "water phase" and a "fat phase". The water phase contains minerals and vitamins etc in a simple solution which is colourless and transparent. However, milk is made white and opaque by the "colloid suspension" which consists of very small particles of casein proteins. As these are in suspension and not dissolved, they make milk white and opaque.
Sophie Bailey, Shropshire, UK
* Milk may contain a very few cells, but Michael Wakefield is (fortunately) wrong that it is mainly cells. Milk or cream is droplets of yellowish butter-fat and protein suspended in a slightly yellow or greenish watery liquid. The white is like the white of snow or salt, due to the scattering of light by millions of fat droplets. Butter is the reverse -- droplets of watery liquid suspended in continuous butterfat. Clarified butter is the butterfat with the watery part dried out by heating, so making it clear.
Richard Collingridge, Ringwood Uk
Cause thats the way it comes out of the animal!
it'd be stupid to artificially colour it.
Why is the sky blue & the grass green?
Because it is made up of white blood cells (antibodies)
for one thing cause it doesn't get enough sun shine to get a tan!!!!!!!!! just a little humor there. Actually I think it depends on the kind of animal the milk comes from as some milk does have a light yellow tint. I think also it is due to the fats and protiens.
If you don't like white, then add chocolate or strawberry syrup or mixes
