  We have measured equilibrium sedimentation profiles in a colloidal model
system with confocal microscopy. By tuning the interactions, we have determined
the gravitational length in the limit of hard-sphere-like interactions, and
using the same particles, tested a recent theory [R.van Roij, J. Phys. Cond.
Mat. 15, S3569, (2003)], which predicts a significantly extended sedimentation
profile in the case of charged colloids with long-ranged repulsions, due to a
spontaneously formed macroscopic electric field. For the hard-sphere-like
system we find that the gravitational length matches that expected. By tuning
the buoyancy of the colloidal particles we have shown that a mean field
hydrostatic equilibrium description even appears to hold in the case that the
colloid volume fraction changes significantly on the length scale of the
particle size. The extended sedimentation profiles of the colloids with
long-ranged repulsions are well-described by theory. Surprisingly, the theory
even seems to hold at concentrations where interactions between the colloids,
which are not modeled explicitly, play a considerable role.
