What are Mixtures

and Solutions?
A MIXTURE is a
combination of two or more
substances that are not
chemically united and do not
exist in fixed proportions to
each other. Most natural
substances are mixtures.

In the graphic on the left there

are four substances - water,
alcohol, oil, and food color
dye.
PURE
MIXTURE
COMPOUND
S
S
A mixture A pure
can be compound has a
physically constant
separated into composition
pure with fixed
compounds ratios of
or elements. elements.
Although it is
almost
Just about
physically
everything
impossible to
that you can
isolate
think of is
absolutely pure
probably a
substances, a
mixture.
substance is
Even the
said to be pure
purest of
if no impurities
materials still
can be detected
contain other
using the best
compounds
available
as impurities.
analytical
techniques.
Physical
Mixtures
properties such
may exhibit a
as boiling point
changing set
or melting point
of physical
of pure
properties. substances are
invariant.
For example,
mixture of For example,
alcohol and pure water boils
water boils at 100 degrees
over a range C
of
temperatures.

HETEROGENEOUS
HOMOGENEOUS MIXTURES
MIXTURES
The prefixes: "hetero"-
The prefixes "homo"- indicate sameness
indicate difference.
A heterogeneous mixture
consists of visibly different
substances or phases. The
three phases or states of
A homogeneous mixture has the same uniform matter are gas, liquid, and
appearance and composition throughout. Many solid.
homogeneous mixtures are commonly referred
to as solutions. Graphic on the left of
"Dancing Raisins" shows
liquid, solid, and gas
substances in a heterogeneous
mixture.
Particle size distinguishes homogeneous
solutions from other heterogeneous mixtures.
Solutions have particles which are the size of In contrast a suspensionis a
atoms or molecules - too small to be seen. heterogeneous mixture of
larger particles. These
particles are visible and will
A colloid is a homogeneous solution with
settle out on standing.
intermediate particle size between a solution
Examples of suspensions are:
and a suspension. Colloid particles may be
fine sand or silt in water or
seen in a beam of light such as dust in air in a
tomato juice.
"shaft" of sunlight. Milk, fog, and jello are
examples of colloids.

For example beach sand is

Corn oil is homogeneous, White vinegar is
heterogeneous since you can
homogeneous. A sugar solution is
see different colored
homogeneous since only a colorless liquid is
particles. Vinegar and oil
observed. Air with no clouds is homogeneous.
salad dressing is
 heterogeneous since two
liquid layers are present, as
well as solids. Air with
clouds is heterogeneous, as
the clouds contain tiny
droplets of liquid water.

SOLUTIONS are homogeneous mixtures.

A solution is a mixture of two or more substances in a single phase. At least tw
substances must be mixed in order to have a solution. The substance in the sma
amount and the one that dissolves or disperses is called the SOLUTE. The sub
the larger amount is called the SOLVENT. In most common instances water is
solvent. The gases, liquids, or solids dissolved in water are the solutes.

In the graphic, the blue bottle is a homogeneous solution mixture of water, KO

glucose, oxygen gas dissolved, and methylene blue - an indicator.
Since solutions are mixtures, their compositions may vary over a very wide ra
concentrations may be expressed using a variety of measures. The non-specific
concentrated and dilute are sometimes used. A concentrated solution has a rela
large (but non-specific) amount of solute dissolved in a solvent. A dilute soluti
smaller quantity of solute dissolved.

TYPES OF SOLUTIONS
Concentrations
Solute Solvent
Examples
Less than 50% More than 50%
wine beer, vodka
liquid liquid alcohol - water acetic acid / wat
vinegar
saline (NaCl) so
solid liquid salt - water sugar solution
CaCO3 - hard wa
CO2 - carbonate
gas liquid oxygen - water
NH3 - ammonia
 air =
gas gas
oxygen - nitrogen
gas solid hydrogen - platinum
liquid gas water in air
solid gas smog
liquid solid mercury - another metal

solid solid alloy