One way in which chemists try to understand the substances in the world around them is to observe the properties of the substances and to classify the substances based on their properties.
Such an analysis has led to a broad classification of matter as pure substances or mixtures.
Mixtures can be classified as
Solutions are an important examples of homogeneous mixtures.
Such an analysis has led to a broad classification of matter as pure substances or mixtures.
Mixtures can be classified as
homogeneous (uniform throughout) or
heterogeneous (different parts of the mixture have different composition).
heterogeneous (different parts of the mixture have different composition).
Solutions are an important examples of homogeneous mixtures.
| A solution is a mixture of one or more solutes (present in smaller amount) and a solvent (present in larger amount). A common type of solution is a solid solute dissolved in a liquid solvent. Solutions of solids in liquids are clear (you can see through them). The colour of a solution depends on the solute; many solutions are colourless. The image shows a solution of the blue solid copper sulfate in water. This is a homogeneous mixture because it all looks the same. and there are no lumps of undissolved solid on the bottom of the flask. |  |