Flocculation, in the field of
chemistry, is a process wherein
colloids come out of
suspension in the form of floc or flake; either spontaneously or due to the addition of a
clarifying agent. The action differs from
precipitation in that, prior to flocculation, colloids are merely suspended in a liquid and not actually dissolved in a
solution. In the flocculated system, there is no formation of a cake, since all the flocs are in the suspension.