Difference between compound and mixture-Compound vs Mixture

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In this article, the author has explained Difference between compound and mixture

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A mixture is a combination of two or more substances. The way that compounds differ from mixtures is that the composition of a compound must be uniform, while the composition of a mixture can vary.

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What is a compound?

A compound is a chemical that contains two or more elements. For example, water is a compound because it contains the elements oxygen and hydrogen.

Examples of compounds

  • Salt (sodium and chlorine)
  • Sugar (carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen)
  • Water (hydrogen and oxygen)
  • Hydrochloric Acid (hydrogen and chlorine).

As mentioned above, a compound is made up of two or more elements.

What is a mixture?

A mixture contains two or more substances that are not chemically combined. For example, a milkshake made from milk and ice cream is a mixture because the ingredients are only mixed together but have not formed new physical bonds with each other.

Examples of Mixture

  • Milkshake (milk and ice cream)
  • Coffee (coffee grounds and hot water)
  • A smoothie made from fruit juice, yogurt, and/or ice.

Difference between compound and mixture

  • The main difference between compound and mixture is that compounds consist of elements that have been chemically bonded together, whereas mixtures contain a combination of substances not chemically bonded to one another. 
  • One key difference between compounds and mixtures is the fact that compounds will always dissolve into their individual components when placed in water, but mixtures may or may not do so depending on how they were created.
  • A second key difference is the chemical changes that take place with each type of substance – compounds will undergo physical changes while reactions taking place within a mixture are purely chemical.
  • Lastly, both types of substances must be stored separately because they cannot react to one another without being mixed together first before being put back together again after undergoing an experiment.