Very small finely divided solids that remain dispersed in a liquid due to size and electrical charge are known as?

Colloidal solids refer to very small finely divided particles that are dispersed throughout a liquid. These particles are typically too small to settle out under the influence of gravity and remain suspended due to their size and the electrical charges they carry. The unique properties of colloidal solids include their ability to scatter light and their stability in a fluid medium, which prevents them from aggregating or settling.

In contrast, suspended solids usually refer to larger particles that can settle out of the liquid over time and do not possess the same electrical charge stabilization characteristics found in colloidal systems. Soluble solids indicate substances that fully dissolve in water, making them not applicable to this context, while microbial solids specifically relate to biological matter, not to the kind of finely divided particles described in the question. Thus, colloidal solids are the correct classification for these dispersed, small solid particles in a liquid.