What is a Mixture?
Mixtures are combinations of two or more substances where each substance retains its chemical identity and properties. They do not undergo chemical changes when combined; instead, they form physical blends that can usually be separated by mechanical means.
Types of Mixtures
There are primarily two types of mixtures
- Homogeneous Mixtures: These have a uniform composition throughout. Solutions like salt in water or the air we breathe are perfect examples. The individual components are so thoroughly mixed that they appear as one substance, though they can be separated into their original components through processes like distillation or evaporation.
- Heterogeneous Mixtures: These mixtures have a non-uniform composition and the different components can be visually distinguished. A classic example is a mixture of oil and water, or sand mixed with salt. These mixtures can often be separated simply by physical means like filtering or settling.
Prevalence and Importance
Mixtures are everywhere in daily life and industrial processes. Foods, medicines, and even personal care products are typically mixtures. Understanding how to manipulate these mixtures is crucial in fields such as pharmaceuticals, where the efficacy of a drug can depend on the way its various components are combined.
Pure Substance
Pure Substances in Chemistry are those which consist of only one type of atom or in the case of more than one type of atom they are always combined in a fixed ratio. What we consider as Pure is not a Pure Substance as per the definitions of chemistry. For Example, we consider milk as pure when it has no adulteration however as per definitions of chemistry Milk is not a Pure Substance.
All the matter around us is classified as Pure Substance and Mixture. Pure Substance forms the basis of all the important chemical compounds. In this article, we will learn about the Pure Substance in detail, learning about the properties and types of pure substance and its comparison with mixture.
Table of Content
- What is Pure Substance?
- Types of Pure Substances
- Properties of Pure Substances
- Applications Pure Substances
- Pure Substance and Mixture
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