When oil is mixed with water, the resulting mixture is a heterogeneous mixture.
This is because oil and water do not mix evenly and remain as separate layers. Here's a breakdown:
- Heterogeneous Mixture: A mixture where the components are not uniformly distributed and are easily distinguishable. Oil and water exemplify this because you can clearly see the oil layer separate from the water layer.
- Immiscibility: Oil and water are immiscible, meaning they don't dissolve in each other. This is due to differences in their molecular structure (polar vs. non-polar).
- Lack of Uniform Composition: A key characteristic of heterogeneous mixtures is the absence of uniform composition. In an oil and water mixture, the concentration of oil is much higher in the oil layer and negligible in the water layer, and vice versa.
- Examples of Heterogeneous Mixtures: Besides oil and water, other examples include sand and water, salad dressing (before shaking), and gravel.
- Homogeneous Mixture Comparison: In contrast, a homogeneous mixture has a uniform composition throughout. Examples include saltwater or air.
