A magnet was placed near a pile that contained both iron and sulfur. The magnet was moved gradually closer to the pile. As it neared the pile, the magnet started attracting small pieces of iron from the pile.

Question

Which of these statements best describes the contents of the pile?
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It is a mixture of iron and sulfur
It is a compound that contains iron and sulfur
It is a compound that can be separated using a magnet
It is a mixture that can be separated using a chemical reaction

Answer 1

The best statement that describes the contents of the pile is:

It is a mixture of iron and sulfur.

This is because iron is attracted to the magnet while sulfur is not, indicating that they are not chemically combined (which would form a compound) but rather are mixed together.