You are here
๐ฌ Think about it
A soda has gas bubbling in liquid. Seawater has salt hidden in water. Air has gas in gas. So mixtures come in many "flavours" depending on what state the parts are in. Let's sort them out.
What are the different types of mixtures?
- Mixtures differ by the physical state of their components.
- Parts can be gas, liquid, or solid in any combination.
- In science, all components of a mixture must be pure substances.
| S.No. | Mixture-type | Examples | Uniform or non-uniform |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Gas and gas | Air | Uniform |
| 2. | Gas and liquid |
Aerated water (soda water)
Oxygen dissolved in water |
Uniform
Uniform |
| 3. | Solid and gas | Carbon particles in air | Non-uniform |
| 4. | Liquid and liquid |
Acetic acid in water (vinegar)
Oil and water |
Uniform
Non-uniform |
| 5. | Solid and liquid |
Sand and water
Seawater |
Non-uniform
Uniform |
| 6. | Solid and solid |
Baking powder (baking soda and tartaric acid)
Alloys |
Non-uniform
Uniform |
๐ก A step further
- Stainless steel is also a mixture (iron, nickel, chromium, a little carbon).
- The metals mix so evenly that you can't see the separate parts.
- Such uniform metal mixtures are called alloys.
- Brass (copper + zinc) and bronze (copper + tin) are other alloys.
Important Points
- Mixtures are grouped by the states of their components.
- Separating a mixture, in science, is done to get pure substances.
- Alloys are uniform solid-solid mixtures of metals.
Important Definitions
- Alloy — a uniform mixture of two or more metals (e.g. brass, bronze, stainless steel).
- Separation of a mixture — splitting a mixture; in science, done to obtain pure substances.
๐ NCERT Question 6 — Classify the following as
Sort substances like sand, seawater, air, gold, and salt into elements, compounds, and mixtures.
View Answer →
