Classifications of Matter

Matter can be classified either as a pure substance or a mixture. A pure substance is characterized by an
unchanging or specific composition. A mixture is composed of different pure substances that are physically
combined in variable proportions. The figure below illustrates the classifications and sub-classifications of
matter.

Pure Substances
Pure substances are forms of matter that have a definite and unchanging chemical composition. This
means that the substance is the same no matter where it is found. Salt, water, aluminum foil, baking soda,
carbon dioxide, and oxygen are all pure substances because their composition is the same no matter where you
find them. Pure substance can further be classified as either an element or compound.
Characteristics and Properties of Pure Substances
 Pure substances are mostly homogeneous in nature containing only one type of atoms or molecules.
 These substances mainly have a constant or uniform composition throughout.
 The substances have fixed boiling and melting points.
 A pure substance usually participates in a chemical reaction to form predictable products.

Elements
Elements are pure substances that are made up of only one type of atom. They cannot be further broken
down into simpler substances. Atoms are composed of smaller particles, but they are not easily broken down by
ordinary chemical means.

There are currently 118 known elements, most of which are metals. Chemical elements have
abbreviations, called element symbols. Element symbols consists of one, two, or three letters. The first letter of
an element symbol is always capitalized and the second and third letters, if present, are in lower case.

Some elements have symbols that are derived directly from their English names. For oxygen, the symbol
is O. Other elements are different. Their symbols are derived from their Latin names. The symbol of the
element gold is Au from the Latin name aurum. Some elements are named after famous scientists like
einsteinium, symbol Es, named for Albert Einstein.

Compound
When two or more elements are combined chemically through chemical reaction, compounds are
formed. Water, salt, and sugar are examples of compounds. The components of a compound do not retain their
individual properties, but rather they will have different properties from the elements they are originally
composed of.
Compounds are governed by the law of definite proportion proposed by Joseph Proust in 1799. This
states that a pure compound always consists of the same elements combined in the same proportion by mass.

Pure samples of isolated elements are uncommon in nature. While the 98 naturally occurring elements
have all been identified in mineral samples from the Earth’s crust, only a small minority of them can be found
as recognizable, relatively pure minerals. Among the more common of such “native elements” are copper,
silver, gold, and sulfur. Carbon is also commonly found in the form of coal, graphite, and diamonds. The noble
gases (e.g., neon) and noble metals (e.g., mercury) can also be found in their pure, non-bonded forms in nature.
Still, most of these elements are found in mixtures.
 When two distinct elements are chemically combined—i.e., chemical bonds form between their atoms—
the result is called a chemical compound. Most elements on Earth bond with other elements to form chemical
compounds, such as sodium (Na) and Chloride (Cl), which combine to form table salt (NaCl). Water is another
example of a chemical compound. The two or more component elements of a compound can be separated
through chemical reactions.

Chemical compounds have a unique and defined structure, which consists of a fixed ratio of atoms held
together in a defined spatial arrangement by chemical bonds. Chemical compounds can be:
 molecular compounds held together by covalent bonds
 salts held together by ionic bonds
 intermetallic compounds held together by metallic bonds
 complexes held together by coordinate covalent bonds.

Pure chemical elements are not considered chemical compounds, even if they consist of diatomic or
polyatomic molecules (molecules that contain only multiple atoms of a single element, such as H2 or S8).

Mixtures
In chemistry, when two or more substances mix with each other without participating in a chemical
change, the resulting substance is called a Mixture.

The result formed due to the combination of substances does not lose its individuality nor are they
combined chemically. Mixtures are the one product of a mechanical blending or mixing of chemical substances
such as elements and compounds.

General Properties of Mixtures

Mixtures are made up of two or more substances that are not chemically combined with each other. The
properties of mixtures are listed below.
 The components of a mixture each keep their original properties.
 The separation of components can be easily done.
 The proportion of the components is variable.

There are two main types of mixtures: homogeneous mixtures and heterogeneous mixtures.
Heterogeneous Mixture

A mixture of sand mixed with salt is an example of a heterogeneous mixture. Heterogeneous mixtures
possess different properties and compositions in various parts i.e. the properties are not uniform throughout the
mixture.
Examples of Heterogeneous mixtures – air, oil, and water, etc.

Homogeneous Mixture
Sugar mixed with water is the most common example of a homogeneous mixture. Homogeneous
mixtures can be defined as the mixtures which possess the same properties and combination throughout their
mass.
Examples of Homogeneous mixtures – alloys, salt, and water, alcohol in water, etc.

Characteristics of Mixtures
 The constituents of a mixture are not present in a fixed ratio. The various characteristics of mixtures are
discussed below.  

 There is no chemical force acting between the two or more substances that are mixed, but they still exist
together.
 They can either be heterogeneous or homogeneous in nature.
 The proportions of the substances vary in an indefinite manner.
 The properties of the mixture depending upon the individual components.
 The constituents of the mixture can be separated by physical methods.
 Boiling point and the melting point of the mixture depends upon the characteristic of the constituents.
 During the formation of a mixture, there is no change in energy.
 All the states of matter (solid, liquid, gases) can combine to form mixtures.

It can be concluded that almost everything in our vicinity is nothing but a mixture. For example, the
food we eat is a mixture of ingredients, the atmospheric air we breathe is a combination of gases and the fuel we
use in locomotives is a heterogeneous mixture.