What is a mixture?

The idea

A mixture is formed when two or more substances are mixed and each retains its properties, without reacting chemically with the others; the individual substances that make up a mixture are its components.

Sprout salad

A sprout salad has green gram, chickpeas, onion and tomato mixed together.

Does each ingredient keep its own properties in the salad?

• Yes, each one stays what it was
• No, they all turn into one new thing
• Only the tomato stays the same

Mix the salad

Press Next step to mix.

Mixtures and components

In the salad every substance keeps its own properties. Sugar dissolved in water, soups and lemonade are mixtures too.

A mixture is formed when two or more substances are mixed and each keeps its properties. The substances in it are its components. They do not react chemically with each other.

Notes

A mixture has two or more substances, each keeping its properties, with no chemical reaction between them.

Check yourself

When substances are mixed and each keeps its properties, we get a …

The individual substances that make up a mixture are called its …

Do the components of a mixture react chemically with each other?

Which of these is a mixture?

• new element. A mixture keeps each substance's properties. It is not a new element.
• mixture — correct. Yes!
• single atom. A mixture has two or more substances, not a single atom.
• terminals. Terminals belong to electricity. The parts of a mixture are components.
• molecules only. The parts of a mixture are called its components.
• components — correct. Yes!
• No — correct. Yes!
• Yes, always. The components of a mixture do not react chemically.
• Yes, to make a new substance. A new substance is made only when they react. In a mixture they do not.
• Gold. Gold is one substance (an element), not a mixture.
• Lemonade — correct. Yes!
• Sulfur. Sulfur is one substance (an element), not a mixture.