A mixture that can be separated into its components by physical means is called a:

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The question asks: A mixture that can be separated into its components by physical means is called a:

First, note that the answer options are not provided in the prompt, so we cannot analyze each listed choice. Instead, we will reason about the concept itself and then connect it to the provided answer.

Key concept: A mixture that can be separated into its components by physical methods (such as filtration, decanting, evaporation, distillation, magnetism, etc.) does not have a uniform composition at the microscopic level. The properties of the components remain distinct, and you can physically separate them. This type of mixture is typically referred to as a heterogeneous mixture.

Why this is correct in general: In a heterogeneous mixture, the different components are not uniformly distributed, and their phases are physically identifiable (e.g., a salad with lettuce and tomatoes, or sandy water). Because the components exist in different phases or states, physical separation methods can be used to isolate each component without chemical change.

Why other hypothetical options (if they had been present) might be incorrect:
- If an option claimed the mixture is homogeneous, that would be incorrect because homogeneous mixtures have uniform composition at the molecular level and are often not separable by simple physical means (or require more advanced methods like distillation, but they are typically uniform, e.g., salt water).
- If an option stated that the mixture is a pure substance, that would be wrong, since a pure substance has a single set of chemical properties and cannot be separated into different substances by simple physical methods.
- If an option suggested that the separation requires a chemical reaction, that would contradict the premise that separation is achievable by physical means alone.

In sum, when a mixture can be separated into its individual components through physical methods without chemical change, it is described as a heterogeneous mixture, aligning with the provided answer. If there were multiple choices, selecting the one that characterizes a non-uniform composition with distinguishable components would be the correct approach.

2254 CHEM 0101 SEC2010 HW 1

A mixture that can be separated into its components by physical means is called a:

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