Multiple Choice
Which of the following best describes sodium chloride (NaCl)?
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1. Intro to General Chemistry
Classification of Matter
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You come across an open container that is filled with two liquids. Which of the following best describes the contents of the container?
A
A pure substance
B
An element
C
A heterogeneous mixture
D
A compound
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand the definitions of the terms: A pure substance has a uniform and definite composition; an element is a pure substance made of only one type of atom; a compound is a pure substance composed of two or more elements chemically combined; a heterogeneous mixture contains two or more substances that are not uniformly distributed.
Recognize that the container has two liquids, which implies there are at least two different substances present.
Since the liquids are in an open container and not chemically combined, they retain their individual properties and are not uniformly mixed at the molecular level.
This lack of uniformity and presence of multiple substances means the mixture is heterogeneous rather than a pure substance or compound.
Therefore, the best description of the contents is a heterogeneous mixture because the two liquids coexist without forming a single uniform phase.
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