Question

Define mixture. Why air is a mixture not a compound? Give reasons.

Answer 1

A mixture is a material system made up of two or more different substances which are mixed but are not combined chemically. A mixture refers to the physical combination of two or more substances on which the identities are retained and are mixed in the form of solutions, suspensions, and colloids.

Air is a mixture for the following reasons:

i. Air does not have a fixed composition. Its composition varies from place to place.

ii. The components of air can be separated by a physical method such as fractional distillation of liquid air.

iii. Liquid air does not have a definite boiling point.