ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

DLVO theory

DLVO theory is a way for scientists to understand how tiny things like particles in liquids or gases interact with each other. Imagine you have a bunch of little balls in a bowl of water. If the balls are close together, they might stick together because of things like electrical charges or attractive forces.

DLVO theory says that there are two main things that affect how these little balls interact: attraction and repulsion. Attraction is when the balls stick together because they are attracted to each other, like magnets that are attracted to each other. Repulsion is when the balls push away from each other, like when you try to push two magnets together but they don't want to touch.

Scientists look at both attraction and repulsion when they're studying DLVO theory. They try to figure out how strong these forces are so they can make predictions about what will happen when particles come together. They also look at things like the size and shape of the particles, and how fast they're moving.

Overall, DLVO theory is a way for us to understand how tiny particles behave in liquids or gases. It helps us predict what will happen when particles come together, which is important for things like making new materials or understanding how pollutants move through the environment.