What term describes the loss of water from a gel-like ointment?

• A. Crumbling
• B. Syneresis
• C. Cracking
• D. Picking

Answer: (B)

Syneresis is the expulsion of liquid from a gel as its network contracts or becomes unstable. In a gel-like ointment, water is held within the gel matrix; when the gel tightens or ages, it squeezes out water, forming a separate watery phase and leaving the gel more concentrated. This can happen during storage, especially with drying or temperature changes, so you might see droplets or a puddle of water separating from the ointment. Other terms describe different issues—crumbling means breaking into particles, cracking is surface fissures from drying, and picking refers to surface disturbance during drying—but the scenario described here specifically involves liquid separating from the gel, which is syneresis.