How do you tell homogeneous from heterogeneous mixtures?

[leighflix]

I've just recently started relearning chemistry. Forgive me for asking such a basic question, but my textbook doesn't use very practical examples with a detailed explanation.

So a hetero and homo mixture can be classified as if there compositions (multiple substances) are blended or not. Let's say a trail mix is hetero mixture because all of the little chips and crackers do not blend (or form?) together. An example of a homo mixture is sugar and water (sugar dissolved in water) because they blended together.

Another small side question: Is it always possible to tell whether specific matter is homo or hetero just by looking at it, or do you need to know the compositions of the matter?

 

[DaveC426913]

OK, I really thought this thread was going to be about something else...

 

[DaveC426913]

"A heterogeneous mixture is made of different substances that remain physically separate. Heterogeneous mixtures always have more than one phase (regions with uniform composition and properties)"

I'd say that,
in a homogenous mixture you can be sure that any number of samples will have the essentially same concentration of each substance,
whereas
in a heterogenous mixture you cannot be guaranteed that. Take enough samples and you will find a discrepancy in concentrations of the substances.

 

[leighflix]

in a homogenous mixture you can be sure that any number of samples will have the essentially same concentration of each substance

So basically, if you were to mix two substances and they would always reveal about the same amount of concentration of the substances.

 

[DaveC426913]

So basically, if you were to mix two materials and they would always reveal about the same amount of concentration.

Yes. That would make it homogenous.

 

[leighflix]

OK, thanks for the help!