Ok, so to start off, yes I know what bith of these are. A homogenous mixture is a mixture which is basically the same through pout and a heterogenous is not the same throughout. I get that. What I don't get is the line between the two mixtures. To me is seems as though it is a very blurry line, with there being no real way to definitively say what substance it is sometimes, as it could seem like either. So if someone could explain this and if there is a way to say with certainty whether a substance is homogenous or not that would be great. Also I would like to know what kinds of questions would be asked about this. Would there be a question with a picture of a substance and it asks whether it is homogenous or heterogenous, or do they just ask you to describe what a homogenous substance is?
-
Looking for HSC notes and resources? Check out our Notes & Resources page
Homogenous and heterogenous mixtures (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter calamebe
- Start date
dan964
what
Homogeneous refers to a substance that is composed of a single substance for example elements or a mixture that has roughly a uniform composition or structure.
Heterogeneous refers to a mixture that is composed of different substances without a uniform composition or structure.
Heterogeneous refers to a mixture that is composed of different substances without a uniform composition or structure.
Yes but reality, things are not often perfectly homogenous. It's way too hard to have a completely uniform structure all the way through. So I'm wondering when something becomes not heterogenous.
leehuan
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- May 31, 2014
- Messages
- 5,805
- Gender
- Male
- HSC
- 2015
Copied and pasted off Jacaranda prelim chemistry.
Mixtures have various particle types and compositions. The particles of each component in homogenous mixtures are distributed uniformly; they are not distributed in heterogenous mixtures. Sugar solutions in water are homogenous mixtures as the sugar particles are uniformly mixed with the water particles. Muddy water is a heterogenous mixture as the heavier particles settle under gravity to form a sediment.
Mixtures have various particle types and compositions. The particles of each component in homogenous mixtures are distributed uniformly; they are not distributed in heterogenous mixtures. Sugar solutions in water are homogenous mixtures as the sugar particles are uniformly mixed with the water particles. Muddy water is a heterogenous mixture as the heavier particles settle under gravity to form a sediment.
So I guess the uniformity is based on whether all the parts of a mixture have an equal chance of being anywhere and are more or less distributed randomly, which most of the time will lead to a pretty uniform distribution. Am I right in saying that?