Pure Substances
Everything around us is made up of matter, which can be divided into two main groups: pure substances and mixtures. A pure substance is made up of only one kind of particle. This means it could be just one type of atom or one type of molecule or compound. For example, pure carbon, pure gold, and pure oxygen are all pure substances that contain only one type of atom. That’s what makes them "elements."
Heterogeneous Mixtures
Most things we see and use every day aren't just one pure substance. When a material has more than one kind of pure substance in it, we call it a mixture. Mixtures can be divided into two types: heterogeneous and homogeneous.
Homogeneous Mixtures
Now, let’s talk about homogeneous mixtures. The word "homogeneous" means "the same throughout." In a homogeneous mixture, no matter where you take a sample from, the proportions of the substances mixed together are the same. It’s like if you mix sugar into warm water. If you stir it really well, the amount of sugar compared to water will be the same whether you take a sip from the top of the glass or the bottom. So, sugar water is a good example of a homogeneous mixture.
Some other examples include toothpaste (which has a consistent mixture of ingredients), pennies (which are made of a uniform metal mix), and most types of gold jewelry (which have gold mixed with other metals).
In short, pure substances are pretty simple and made of just one type of particle, while mixtures can be a combination of different substances, and homogeneous mixtures are mixed so well that they look the same everywhere!