Why is brass a mixture

Brass, when broken down, divides into zinc and copper. Therefore, because brass is not a standalone substance, it cannot be considered an element. To watch zinc and copper combine to make brass, check out this fascinating video:. Similarly to mixtures, compounds are made up of more than one element blended together.

Compounds, however, are made of elements that are chemically combined, while mixtures are put together physically. Further, compounds must have an equal percentage of both elements in order to exist. The Bodner Research Lab at Purdue University explains that water, for example, is a compound because it is always made of exactly Hydrogen Peroxide, as another example of a compound, consists of precisely Both water and hydrogen peroxide are made up of hydrogen and oxygen, but the specific percentages in each make them entirely different substances.

Brass, on the other hand, can exist even with large variations in its percentages of zinc and coppe r. Brass, therefore, cannot be qualified as a compound.

The percentage of zinc can be extremely low or high compared to the percentage of copper, but as long as the two are combined, they would still combine to create brass. While mixtures can be separated easily, a compound must be entirely destroyed in order to be broken into its smaller parts.

It would be much easier for brass to be sorted into zinc and copper than for water to be divided into hydrogen and oxygen. Further, mixtures can actually be made of compounds, while compounds cannot be made of mixtures. Mixtures, unlike compounds, are created by physically combining two or more substances. A publication by Elmhurst College explains another important distinction. Copper and Zinc are physically bound not chemically. So,brass is a mixture not a compound.

Questions and Answers from students around the world. Download App now. Featured Video. Cite this Article Format. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph. Is Brass a Solution? Pure Substance Definition in Chemistry. The Properties and Uses of Zinc Metal. Learn About the Different Brass Types.

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