States are usually quite discontinuous, as in the transitions between solids, liquids, and gases. Usually a state has properties that apply throughout the mater

States are usually quite discontinuous, as in the transitions between solids, liquids, and gases. Usually a state has properties that apply throughout the material in bulk that derive specifically from how the particles interact with one another on a small scale. Usually, there are very distinct boundaries in therodynamic properties between phases. There are exceptions to this though, like in the case of pitch [1]. That being said, to me, this sounds more like a mixture [2] than a state of matter, unless there some sort of chemical interaction between the Laponite and water. But hey, the scientists probably know more than me about that. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pitch_%28resin%29 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pitch_%28resin%29 [2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mixture http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mixture