When you mix a variety of substances together, such as rice and sand, they form a mixture. Unlike a compound, which can only be separated chemically, mixtures retain the properties of their constituent ingredients and are not physically mixed together.
Compounds are made when two or more atoms combine to form a new chemical species. This is the main difference between compound and mixture. They are called compounds because they have different physical and chemical characteristics than their component elements.
What is Element?
Elements are substances that are composed of only one type of atom and do not break down into simpler chemical components (called ions). Some examples of pure substances are sodium, chlorine, chloride, and calcium. The simplest forms of matter are elements, which have only one type of atom. For example, aluminum is an element.
Water is a substance that contains the H2O molecule itself, but it also contains other things like minerals. If you boil the water, the dissolved mineral and salt particles are removed from the water so that it is pure and odorless. Despite what you may have heard, water is not a compound. Rather, it is a mixture because of the fact that it combines many substances in a physically mixed way in no definite proportion.
What is a Mixture?
A mixture is a physical blend of two or more types of materials, such as sugar and milk. If you separate the sugar and milk, they still act the same as when they were combined. However, if you try to separate the mixture into its components, such as milk and water, it will behave differently because of the different atoms that were present in each ingredient.
What is Compound?
When these elements and compounds combine, they change their energy level to create a new chemical species. This changes their physical and chemical properties as well. This means that the atoms that make up a compound cannot be separated physically, but can be split by chemical methods, such as electrolysis, to create separate chemical species of each element and compound. This is why it is important to understand the differences between elements and compounds. The chemistry behind this is complex and confusing, but it is important to know how to classify the substances you encounter in your everyday life.
Conclusion
Some elements, such as oxygen and hydrogen, can be broken down into chemically simpler compounds, but some are not. For example, water can be broken down into its component atoms of hydrogen and oxygen by the process of electrolysis. Other elements, such as fire and earth, can also be broken down into their simplest compounds. Other compounds, such as salt and brass, are made by combining elements, or ions, with other compounds.
