Chapter 8: Mixtures
A mixture is made from different substances that are not chemically joined.
For example powdered iron and powdered sulphur mixed together makes a mixture of iron and
sulphur. They can be separated from each other without a chemical reaction, in the way that
different coloured sweets can be picked out from a mixed packet and put into separate piles.
Mixture and compounds
Mixtures have different properties from compounds. The table summarises these differences.
Mixture Compound
Composition Variable composition – you can vary Definite composition – you cannot vary
the amount of each substance in a the amount of each element in a
mixture. compound.
Joined or The different substances are not The different elements are chemically
not chemically joined together. joined together.
Properties Each substance in the mixture keeps The compound has properties different
its own properties. from the elements it contains.
Separation Each substance is easily separated It can only be separated into its
from the mixture. elements using chemical reactions.
Examples Air, sea water, most rocks. Water, carbon dioxide, magnesium
oxide, sodium chloride.
An example - iron, sulphur and iron sulphide
Remember that iron and sulphur react together when they are heated to make a compound called
iron sulphide. What are the differences between a mixture of iron and sulphur, and iron sulphide?
Here are some of them:
The mixture can contain more or less iron, but iron sulphide always contains equal
amounts of iron and sulphur.
The iron and sulphur atoms are not joined together in the mixture, but they are joined
together in iron sulphide.
The iron and sulphur still behave like iron and sulphur in the mixture, but iron sulphide
has different properties from both iron and sulphur.
You can separate the iron from the mixture using a magnet but this does not work for iron
sulphide.
Checkpoint
Can you recognise elements, compounds and mixtures?
An element contains just one type of atom.
A compound contains two or more types of atom joined together.
A mixture contains two or more different substances that are not joined together.
The different substances in a mixture can be elements or compounds.
The table shows some examples.
Description Example Diagram
Pure element oxygen
Pure compound carbon dioxide
Mixture of elements oxygen and helium
Mixture of compounds alcohol and water
Mixture of elements and compounds air
Notice that the different substances in a mixture can be single atoms, molecules of elements or
molecules of compounds.
Separating mixtures
The different substances in mixtures are usually easily separated from one another. The method
you use depends upon the type of mixture you have.
Chromatography
This is good for separating dissolved substances that have different colours, such as inks and
plant dyes. It works because some of the coloured substances dissolve in the liquid better than
others, so they travel further up the paper.
Filtration
Filtration is good for separating an insoluble solid from a liquid. (An insoluble substance is one
that does not dissolve).
Sand, for example, can be separated from a mixture of sand and water using filtration. That's
because sand does not dissolve in water.
Evaporation
This is good for separating a soluble solid from a liquid (a soluble substance does dissolve, to
form a solution).
For example copper sulphate crystals can be separated from copper sulphate solution using
evaporation. Remember that it is the water that evaporates away, not the solution.
Simple distillation
This is good for separating a liquid from a solution. For example, water can be separated from
salty water by simple distillation. This method works because the water evaporates from the
solution, but is then cooled and condensed into a separate container. The salt does not evaporate
and so it stays behind.
Fractional distillation
This is good for separating two or more liquids from each other. For example, ethanol (alcohol)
can be separated from a mixture of ethanol and water by fractional distillation. This method
works because the two liquids have different boiling points.
Solvents and solutions
Some important terms
Term Meaning Example
Solvent the liquid in which a solute dissolves the water in sea water
Solute the substance that dissolves in a liquid to form a solution the salt in sea water
Solution is the mixture formed when a solute has dissolved in a sea water
solvent
Soluble describes a substance that will dissolve salt is soluble in water
Insoluble describes a substance that will not dissolve sand is insoluble in
water
Water is a very important solvent but it's not the only one. Acetone is used to remove nail polish,
turpentine to dissolve oil paints and good perfumes are solutions of the fragrance dissolved in
ethanol. Dry cleaning fluid is an organic solvent used to clean clothes which would be damaged
by detergent and water.
Dry cleaning - higher tier
The molecules of a stain are similar to each other. They cling together (by intermolecular forces)
and so they're difficult to remove. A dry cleaning fluid consists of molecules similar to the stain
molecules so the intermolecular forces between stain and solvent are similar to those between
stain and stain. This enables the stain molecules to separate from each other and dissolve in the
solvent. They can then be carried away.
