SCIENCE LESSONS.

Pure Substance
A pure substance is a single kind of matter that cannot be separated into other kinds of matter by
any physical means. A pure substance always has a definite and constant composition. A mixture
is a physical combination of two or more pure substances in which each substance retains its own
chemical identity.
Elements & Compounds
Element is a pure substance made up of only one kind of atom which can't be split up into two or
more substance. compound is a pure substance made up of two or more substance combined in
fixed proportion by mass.
Mixtures
A mixture is made when two or more substances are combined, but they are not combined
chemically. General properties of a mixture: ● The components of a mixture can be easily
separated. ● The components each keep their original properties.
Heterogeneous & Homogeneous Mixtures
Scientifically speaking, a homogeneous mixture is one in which different parts (such as salt and
water) have been uniformly combined into a new substance (salt water), while a heterogeneous
mixture has parts that remain separate.
Matter
Matter is a substance made up of various types of particles that occupies physical space and has inertia.
According to the principles of modern physics, the various types of particles each have a specific mass
and size. The most familiar examples of material particles are the electron, the proton and the neutron.

SOLUTE & SOLVENT

When one substance dissolves into another, a solution is formed. A solution is a homogeneous
mixture consisting of a solute dissolved into a solvent. The solute is the substance that is being
dissolved, while the solvent is the dissolving medium. Solutions can be formed with many
different types and forms of solutes and solvents. We know of many types of solutions. Check
out a few examples in the table below.
Type Solvent Solute Example

Gas/Gas Nitrogen Oxygen Air

Gas/Liquid Water Carbon Dioxide Soda Pop
Liquid/Liquid Water Ethylene Glycol Antifreeze
Solid/Liquid Water Salts Seawater
This section's focus is on solutions where the solvent is water. An aqueous solution is water that
contains one or more dissolved substances. The dissolved substances in an aqueous solution
many can be solids, gases, or other liquids. Some examples are listed in the table above. Other
examples include vinegar (acetic acid in water), alcoholic beverages (ethanol in water), and
liquid cough medicines (various drugs in water).
In order to be a true solution, a mixture must be stable. When sugar is fully dissolved into water,
it can stand for an indefinite amount of time and the sugar will not settle out of the solution.
Further, if the sugar-water solution is passed through a filter, it will be unchanged. The dissolved
sugar particles will pass through the filter along with the water. This is because the dissolved
particles in a solution are very small, usually less than 1nm1nm in diameter. Solute particles can
be atoms, ions, or molecules, depending on the type of substance that has been dissolved.
Summary
- A solution is a homogeneous mixture of a solute in a solvent.
- A solute is the material present in the smaller amount in the solution.
- A solvent is the material present in the larger amount in the solution.
COLLOIDS & SUSPENSIONS [FT. SOLUTIONS]
Suspensions
Take a glass of water and throw in a handful of sand or dirt. Stir it and stir it and stir it. Have
you made a solution? Sand and dirt do not dissolve in water, and, though it may look
homogenous for a few moments, the sand or dirt gradually sinks to the bottom of the glass (see
figure below). Some medications are delivered as suspensions and must be mixed well before the
doses measured to make sure the patient is receiving the correct amount of medication.
A suspension is a heterogeneous mixture in which some of the particles settle out of the mixture
upon standing. The particles in a suspension are far larger than those of a solution, so gravity is
able to pull them down out of the dispersion medium (water). The diameter for the dispersed
particles in a suspension, such as the sand in the suspension described above, is typically at least
1000 times greater than those in a solution. Unlike a solution, the dispersed particles can be
separated from the dispersion medium by filtering. Suspensions are considered heterogeneous
because the different substances in the mixture will not remain uniformly distributed if they are
not actively being mixed.
Colloids
A colloid is a heterogeneous mixture in which the dispersed particles are intermediate in size
between those of a solution and a suspension. The particles are spread evenly throughout the
dispersion medium, which can be a solid, liquid, or gas. Because the dispersed particles of a
colloid are not as large as those of a suspension, they do not settle out upon standing. The table
below summarizes the properties and distinctions between solutions, colloids, and suspensions.
Solution Colloids Suspension
 Homogeneous Heterogeneous Heterogeneous
Particle size: 0.01 – 1 nm; Particle size: 1 – 1000 nm, Particle size: over 1000 nm,
atoms, ions or molecules dispersed; large molecules or suspended: large particles or
aggregates aggregates
Do not separate on standing Do not separate on standing Particles settle out
Cannot be separated by Cannot be separated by Can be separated by filtration
filtration filtration
Do not scatter light Scatter light (Tyndall effect) May either scatter light or be
opaque
Colloids are unlike solutions because their dispersed particles are much larger than those of a
solution. The dispersed particles of a colloid cannot be separated by filtration, but they scatter
light, a phenomenon called the Tyndall effect.
Tyndall Effect
Colloids are often confused with true homogenous solutions because the individual dispersed
particles of a colloid cannot be seen. When light is passed through a true solution, the dissolved
particles are too small to deflect the light. However, the dispersed particles of a colloid, being
larger, do deflect light (see figure below). The Tyndall effect is the scattering of visible light by
colloidal particles. You have undoubtedly "seen" a light beam as it passes through fog, smoke, or
a scattering of dust particles suspended in air. All three are examples of colloids. Suspensions
may scatter light, but if the number of suspended particles is sufficiently large, the suspension
may simply be opaque, and the light scattering will not occur.

Examples of Colloids

Listed in the table below are examples of colloidal systems, most of which are very familiar.
Some of these are shown below (see figure below). The dispersed phase describes the particles,
while the dispersion medium is the material in which the particles are distributed.

Emulsions

Butter and mayonnaise are examples of a class of colloids called emulsions. An emulsion is a
colloidal dispersion of a liquid in either a liquid or a solid. A stable emulsion requires an
emulsifying agent to be present. Mayonnaise is made in part of oil and vinegar. Since oil is
nonpolar, and vinegar is a polar aqueous solution, the two do not mix and would quickly separate
into layers. However, the addition of egg yolk causes the mixture to become stable and not
separate. Egg yolk is capable of interacting with both the polar vinegar and the nonpolar oil. The
egg yolk is called the emulsifying agent. Soap acts as an emulsifying agent because one end of a
soap molecule is polar, and the other end is nonpolar. This allows the grease to be removed from
your hands or your clothing by washing with soapy water.

Solubility
Solubility is defined as the maximum amount of a substance that will dissolve in a given amount
of solvent at a specified temperature. Solubility is a characteristic property of a specific solute–
solvent combination, and different substances have greatly differing solubilities.

METHODS OF SEPERATING MIXTURES

Handpicking

This method involves simply picking out all the unwanted substances by hand and separating them from
useful ones. The separated substances may be an impurity that has to be thrown away or maybe that both
the separated substances are useful. For example – if you separate black grapes from green ones from a

mixture of the two.

Threshing
 This method is mostly done during the harvesting of crops. Normally, the stalks of the wheat are dried
once it is harvested. The grain is then separated from the stalks and grounded into the floor by beating the
dry stalks to shake off the dried grains.

Winnowing

When the grains are collected from the process of threshing, it needs to be cleared out of husks and chaffs
before it is turned into flour. Normally the separation of the mixture is carried out with the help of wind or
blowing air. The husk and chaff are blown away by the strong wind when the farmers drop the mixture
from a certain height to the ground. The heavier grains are collected at one place.

Sieving

It is done to separate mixtures that contain substances mostly of different sizes. The mixture is passed

through the pores of the sieve. All the smaller substances pass through easily while the bigger
components of the mixture are retained.

Evaporation
 Evaporation is a technique that is used in separating a mixture, usually a solution of a solvent and a

soluble solid. In this method, the solution is heated until the organic solvent evaporates where it turns into
a gas and mostly leaves behind the solid residue.

Distillation

When mixtures consist of two or more pure liquids than distillation is used. Here the components of a
liquid mixture are vaporized, condensed and then isolated. The mixture is heated and the component
which is volatile evaporates first. The vapor moves through a condenser and is collected in a liquid state.

Filtration or Sedimentation

The most common method of separating a liquid from an insoluble solid is the filtration. Take, for
example, the mixture of sand and water. Filtration is used here to remove solid particles from the liquid.
Various filtering agents are normally used like filtering paper or other materials.
Sedimentation is a process by which heavier impurities present in liquid normally water settle down at the
bottom of the container containing the mixture. The process takes some amount of time.

Separating Funnel

Separating funnel is used mainly to segregate two immiscible liquids. The mechanism involves taking
advantage of the unequal density of the particles in the mixture. Oil and water can be easily separated
using this technique.

Magnetic Separation
When one substance in the mixture has some magnetic properties then this method is quite useful. Strong
magnets are commonly used to separate magnetic elements.

MISCIBLE & IMMISCIBLE

Miscibility

Miscibility is the property of two substances to mix in all proportions (that is, to fully dissolve in each
other at any concentration), forming a homogeneous mixture (a solution). The term is most often applied
to liquids but also applies to solids and gases.

Immiscibility

Immiscibility is the property where two substances are not capable of combining to form a homogeneous
mixture. The components are said to be "immiscible." In contrast, fluids that do mix together are called
"miscible." Components of an immiscible mixture will separate from each other.

Solid, Liquid & Gas Solutions

Liquid in gas and solid in gas combinations exist, but these are usually colloidal dispersions rather than
true solutions. Liquid mixtures are our most easily recognized mixtures. When molecules of gas, solid or
liquid are dispersed and mixed with those of liquid, the homogeneous states are called liquid solutions.