In Chemistry Class, almost always we are talking about reactions involving PURE SUBSTANCES. But in the real world, we rarely stumble upon pure samples of anything! Almost everything we come in contact with is a mixture, rather than a pure element or compound. Chemists classify matter according to how pure the sample is. This means you need to learn to distinguish between the following: pure substances (elements or compounds) and mixtures (homogeneous or heterogeneous). We’ve created a flowchart to make this kind of classification easier.
In Chemistry class, we’re usually talking about reactions involving pure substances. But in the real world, we rarely stumble upon pure samples of anything! Almost everything we come in contact with outside of the lab is a mixture, rather than a pure element or compound.
Chemists classify matter according to how pure the sample is. This means you need to learn to distinguish between the following: pure substances (elements or compounds) and mixtures (homogeneous or heterogeneous). We’ve created a flowchart to make this kind of classification easier (see link below), and in this video we take you step by step through the classification process, as well as an example of how you could separate out the various components of a mixture.
Video: Classifying Matter
Handout: Video Notes Worksheet
Handout: Classifying Matter Flowchart
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Full-length Practice Tests with Answer Keys