Final answer:
Particles in a fluid can be kept in suspension through methods like agitation or stirring. Shaking suspensions like medical preparations ensures the particles are re-suspended before use. Centrifugation can accelerate sedimentation, while gentle stirring or spinning can maintain a suspension.
Step-by-step explanation:
To keep particles suspended in the fluid, several methods can be used, depending on the nature of the suspension and the desired outcome. One common method is agitation or stirring, which keeps the particles in motion and prevents them from settling. In medical applications, such as suspensions found in medicines like milk of magnesia, shaking the bottle before administering the dose helps to re-suspend the settled particles. In laboratory settings, a centrifuge can be used to speed up sedimentation, where the high angular velocity leads to faster separation of particles from the fluid. However, to maintain an even suspension during processes, the reverse can also be true - gentle spinning or stirring can keep the particles from settling. Lastly, the characteristics of the particles themselves, like size and density, and the temperature or chemical composition of the dispersing medium can influence the stability of a suspension.