How Is A Solution Different From Other Mixtures?

The simplest examples for a solution versus a mixture is the age old combination of water and sand versus water and sugar. Without using any fancy terms like homogenous systems or molecules or solute and solvents. It is easy to grasp the difference.

Get two clear glasses or two small, clear glass jars with lids. Label one container sugar, other sand. Get some sugar, sand and a tablespoon size measuring spoon.

Add the exact same amount of clear water to each glass or jar. About 3-4 ounces will do. Add exactly one tablespoon of sugar to one glass container and one tablespoon of sand to the other glass container.

Cover each with a lid, one in each hand. Shake the two containers for about two minutes. Sit them down side by side and watch what happens as the water settles. You will see
the sugar dissolved and spread throughout the water, but the sand slowly sinks to the bottom of your container.

By now, you have realized sugar and water form a solution, but water and sand form a mixture. Anytime, you mix two substances one is called a solvent (the substance you begin with)and one is called a solute (the substance you add to the solvent). If a solvent and solute are homegenous the solute molecules are evenly absorbed, into the solvent because the molecules of solvent move out of the way and let the molecules of the solute in.

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