This chapter classifies matter into mixtures and pure substances. A mixture forms when two or more substances are combined without any chemical reaction, so each component keeps its own properties; the components are called the components of the mixture. Mixtures may be uniform, like salt in water, where components cannot be seen separately, or non-uniform, like a sprout salad, where they are easily visible. Air is shown to be a uniform mixture of gases, and a lime water activity confirms the presence of carbon dioxide. Pure substances contain only one kind of particle and cannot be separated by physical means. They are of two types: elements and compounds. Elements, such as hydrogen, oxygen, gold, and carbon, are the simplest substances and cannot be broken down further. Passing electricity through water splits it into hydrogen and oxygen, showing water is a compound. Compounds form when different elements combine chemically in a fixed ratio and have properties different from their constituent elements; their components cannot be separated physically. Heating sugar and heating an iron and sulfur mixture illustrate how compounds form and behave differently from mixtures, such as iron sulfide not being attracted to a magnet. The chapter ends by linking these ideas to minerals, which are mostly compounds but sometimes pure native elements, and to everyday uses of elements, compounds, and mixtures.
Mixtures and their componentsUniform and non-uniform mixturesPure substancesElements and compoundsMinerals and everyday uses
Key terms
Mixture
A combination of two or more substances that retain their own properties and do not react chemically.
Uniform mixture
A mixture in which the components are evenly distributed and cannot be distinguished, such as salt dissolved in water.
Pure substance
A kind of matter made of only one type of particle that cannot be separated into other substances by physical means.
Element
The simplest pure substance, made of identical atoms, that cannot be broken down into simpler substances.
Compound
A pure substance formed when different elements combine chemically in a fixed ratio, with new properties.
Mineral
A natural solid substance with a fixed chemical composition, usually a compound but sometimes a native element.
Extra questions & answers
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Table 8.1: Different types of mixtures
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What is a mixture?
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Nature of Matter: Elements, Compounds, and Mixtures
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