Difference Between Substance and Mixture
Many of the things we see around us, whether alive or dead, are made up of a union of things. They may be microscopic and might not be seen effortlessly by the naked eye. There aren’t many things in life that are not made up of at least two elements. For instance, iodized water, arguably one of the most important sources of life, is a union of two elements – Hydrogen and Oxygen.
In chemistry, we learned that all things are composed of at least one element or material by nature. These elements appear in smaller units called atoms. When several of them are fused together, they form a compound. Since you’re aware that most things are made of at least one atom of a naturally occurring material. So now the million dollar question is, what is the difference between substance and mixture?
Definition of Substance
It is a type of mass that constitutes a number of atoms ionically fused together. This means that for a substance to be created, its atoms will have to undergo an ionic reaction to fuse together. Substances are often regarded as being ‘uncontaminated’ to differentiate them from mixtures and they cannot be split into more than one tangible entity.
Since they are formed by ionic procedures, they can only be divided by ionic operations equally. Generally, substances can be subdivided into two groups; elements and compounds. Example of substance and mixture include alloys, iodized water, etc.
Definition of Mixture
This is the unification of more than one substance incorporated by physical procedures. Since a mixture doesn’t undergo any ionic reaction to be created, it can also be divided by simple physical procedures like filtration, evaporation, decantation, etc. This means that they can be divided to produce more than one entity. Examples of substances and mixtures are petrol and diesel, salt and soil, etc.
Substance vs Mixture Comparison Table
In the table below, we compare and contrast substance and mixture to find out what the difference between a substance and a mixture is.
| Basis of Comparison | Substance | Mixture |
| Definition | Is a form of mass that can’t be split to form more than one physical entity. | This consists of more than one substance physically incorporated. |
| Composition | Despite being formed from more than a single atom, they are composed of only one constituent. | They are composed of more than a single atom of more than a single constituent. |
| Separation Method | It would take certain ionic processes to split them into atoms. | They can be divided into various constituents with basic physical methods. |
Conclusion of the Main Difference Between Substance vs Mixture
You now know the definition of both words and the difference between mixture and substance. You’re also aware that the basis for the existence of a mixture is an amalgam of substances. With the information in this article, you should also be able to easily give examples of both and explain how they vary.
