HeTeRoGeNeoUS MIXTURe

Definition: A mixture that is composed of several different types or phases of matter.

Details, Details, Details!!!

A heterogeneous mixture is usually a suspension or a colloid.  In a heterogenous mixture, you can often tell that the mixture is made up of several different types of matter because of discoloration throughout it or visible chunks or areas of different phases of mater.  An example is a glass of water. Just plain water is a solution and is the same throughout therefore it is not a heterogeneous mixture.  When you add ice to this glass of water, it is no longer a solution, but a suspension because the two different phases of matter seperate.  Because of the new type of matter, the glass of ice is no longer the same throughout, therefore it is a heterogeneous mixture.  Other examples of a heterogeneous mixture would be italian dressing, oil and vinegar in a glass together and granite. 

Go F.S.U.!!!!!!!

Awesome Pictures

Picture 1: Piece of Granite

In the piece of granite, the difference in mattrer is very obvious. You see the different colors throughout the piece of rock. Because granite is made up of the different types of matter, it is a heterogeneous mixture.

Picture 2: Italian Dressing 

In the italian dressing, you can see the different chunks of different types of matter, This makes the dressing a heterogeneous mixture.

Picture 3: Oil and Water Mixture 

In the glass, there is water and oil. The mixtures do not mix will because of the differences in densities in the water and oil. Because of the two types of matter, and the fact that they wont mix, the water and oil mixture is heterogeneous.       

So What???

So why do we have to learn all this?  Don't ask me, I don't kow!  Just Joking. Everything around us can be described as heterogeneous or homogeneous.  Not just mixtures, but everything from the track of a rollercoaster to a flower in a garden.  If the matter inside the object(s) or  

mixture(s) around us is different from other types of matter inide the object(s) or mixture(s) it is heterogeneous. 

We have used this word in several of our labs even if it wasn't clear that we were.  In the air rocket car lab, to create our cars, we used a mixture of different types of matter, therefore, our air rocket car could be considered heterogeneous.  Same thing with our catapult lab.  We used a mixture of different materials to create a catapult, so our catapults could be described as heterogeneous.  

The word heterogeneous mixture helped us to understand solutions, colloids and suspensions better.  It helped us to understand that in suspensions and some colloids, the different particles of matter were not completely mixed and would sometimes even seperate itself from the other forms of matter, so the mixture could not be the same throughout.  We learned that theese mixtures were different from solutions because a solution mixed completely and was the same throughout the entirety of the solution.  The word helped us get a concept of what solutions, colloids and suspensions actually were and how they are different from each other.  See, there is a reason why we should all know this word.

Bibliography

Information in the Details section on heterogeneous mixtures and info that helped me write the definition of heterogeneous mixture found at http://www.elmhurst.edu/~chm/vchembook/106Amixture.html

MLA Format

Ophardt, Charles. "Virtual Chembook." What Are mixtures and Solutions?. 2003. Elmhurst   College. 7 Apr 2008 <http://www.elmhurst.edu/~chm/vchembook/106Amixture.html>.

Wishbone Italian Dressing picture found at

http://www.thefind.com/food/info-Wish-Bone-Italian-Salad-Dressing

MLA Format 

"thefind.com." Wishbone Italian Salad Dressing. thefind.com. 8 Apr 2008 <http://www.thefind.com/food/info-Wish-Bone-Italian-Salad-Dressing>.

Granite picture found at http://www.beg.utexas.edu/mainweb/publications/graphics/granite.htm

MLA Format

"Texas Rock Kit." Bureau of Economic Geology . Bureau of Economic Geology . 8 Apr 2008 <http://www.beg.utexas.edu/mainweb/publications/rockkits.htm>.

Water and Oil Mixture picture found at

http://iws.ccccd.edu/mweis/A&P%20Basics/Lab/Basics%20Lab%20Exercises/lab_exercise_04_cells.htm

MLA Format

Weis, "Exercises/Activities." Biology 2404 A&P Basics Lab Exercise 4 Cells . 08 Apr 2008 <http://iws.ccccd.edu/mweis/A&P%20Basics/Lab/Basics%20Lab%20Exercises/lab_exercise_04_cells.htm>.

Information in the So What??? section was found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heterogeneous and

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mixture

MLA Format

"Heterogeneous." Wikipedia. 2008. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 8 Apr 2008 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heterogeneous>.

and

"Mixture." Wikipedia. 2008. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.. 8 Apr 2008 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mixture>.