Which term describes a substance made of more than one type of particle?

Which term describes a substance made of more than one type of particle?

• A. Mixture
• B. Element
• C. Compound
• D. Solution

Answer: (A)

Think about how matter is categorized by what it’s made of. When a material contains more than one kind of particle, it’s a mixture. In a mixture, each component keeps its own properties, and you can usually separate the parts by physical means rather than breaking chemical bonds. That distinguishes mixtures from elements, which are made of a single type of atom, and from compounds, which are formed when elements bond chemically in fixed ratios to make a new substance with different properties. A solution is a specific kind of mixture where one substance (the solute) is dissolved in another (the solvent) to form a uniform blend. Because this description emphasizes more than one type of particle without implying chemical bonding, the best term for a substance containing multiple particle types is mixture.

Think about how matter is categorized by what it’s made of. When a material contains more than one kind of particle, it’s a mixture. In a mixture, each component keeps its own properties, and you can usually separate the parts by physical means rather than breaking chemical bonds. That distinguishes mixtures from elements, which are made of a single type of atom, and from compounds, which are formed when elements bond chemically in fixed ratios to make a new substance with different properties. A solution is a specific kind of mixture where one substance (the solute) is dissolved in another (the solvent) to form a uniform blend. Because this description emphasizes more than one type of particle without implying chemical bonding, the best term for a substance containing multiple particle types is mixture.