A Mixture Can Be Separated; a Compound Cannot
A mixture is two or more things combined without chemically joining. That is the line chemistry draws between a mixture and a compound.
A mixture is two or more substances combined but not chemically bonded. The test is separability: you can pick the raisins out of muesli, evaporate salt from seawater, or filter sand from gravel. A compound has to be broken apart chemically, because its atoms have joined.
- A combination of substances. *A mixture of sand and cement.*
- A combination of qualities. *A mixture of relief and anger.*
- A medicinal preparation. *Cough mixture.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | mixture | An odd mixture. |
| Plural | mixtures | Two mixtures. |
| Verb | mix | Mix well. |
| Adjective | mixed | Mixed feelings. |
| Related | compound | A chemical compound. |
How it is used in a sentence
- Stir the mixture until smooth.Cooking use.
- He greeted the news with a mixture of emotions.Abstract sense.
- Air is a mixture, not a compound.Nitrogen and oxygen are not bonded to each other.
Chemistry vocabulary
- Mixture — combined but not bonded
- Compound — atoms chemically joined in fixed proportions
- Solution — one substance dissolved in another
- Suspension — particles held in a liquid, which settle
- Emulsion — droplets of one liquid held in another, like milk
From Latin *mixtura*, from *miscere*, to mix — the same root as *miscellaneous*, *promiscuous* and *meddle*.
Is salt water a mixture?
Yes, a solution, which is a kind of mixture. The salt keeps its identity and can be recovered by evaporating the water.
Mixture or blend?
They overlap. Blend suggests the parts have merged smoothly and deliberately; a mixture may be uneven or accidental.