We Here

* Keywords and Pronunciations |
|
compound ( KAHM-pownd ) : substance composed of two or more elements that are chemically bonded in a definite, fixed ratio by mass |
|
element : a chemical substance that contains only one kind of atom and that cannot be broken down into simpler substances |
|
mixture : physical blend of two or more substances |
|
substance : any form of matter; in chemistry, usually referring to any pure substance or mixture |
|

Matter is made of mixtures and pure substances. Chemists classify matter as either pure substances or mixtures. Pure substances consist of only one element or only one compound.   The miner's pan contained a mixture of water, sediment, sand, gold, and other things. A mixture is a physical blend of two or more pure substances. By contrast, a pure substance is matter that is uniform in its composition. Pure substances can be separated from mixtures by physical means. In this case, the miners separated gold from the mixture by its physical property of luster, which makes it look shiny compared to sediment.  Pure substances are made of either pure compounds or pure elements. Pure substances can be composed of either pure compounds or pure elements. A compound is a substance that contains two or more elements combined in a fixed proportion. An element is the simplest form of matter that has unique properties and is composed of only one kind of atom.   Elements contain only one type of atom. Elements contain only one kind of atom and can be solids, liquids, or gases.  Compounds contain more than one type of atom. A compound is a substance that contains two or more elements combined in a fixed proportion. Another way to say this is that a compound has more than one kind of atom.  Separation procedures allow you to tell the difference between various types of matter. How can you tell whether a given material is a pure substance, mixture, compound, or element? You need to ask a series of questions, some...