Flour is mixed with powdered sugar, and then the combination is ground to a fine dust. Is the resulting product a solution or a heterogeneous mixture? Explain.

Short Answer

Expert verified
The resulting product of mixed and ground flour and powdered sugar is a heterogeneous mixture because the particles of flour and sugar are not dissolved in each other but rather mixed together, and the components can still be separated as they are not chemically combined or uniformly distributed at the molecular level.

Step by step solution

01

Define a solution

A solution is a homogeneous mixture of two or more substances, where one substance, called the solute, dissolves uniformly into the other substance, called the solvent. In solutions, the particles of the solute are evenly distributed throughout the mixture and cannot be easily separated. Examples of solutions include saltwater and sugar dissolved in water.
02

Define a heterogeneous mixture

A heterogeneous mixture is a mixture of two or more substances that do not blend uniformly, resulting in distinguishable components or regions within the mixture. The substances are not dissolved in each other and can often be separated easily. Examples of heterogeneous mixtures include sand and water, muesli cereal, and oil and vinegar salad dressing.
03

Analyze flour and powdered sugar

Flour and powdered sugar are both solid substances. When they are combined and ground into a fine dust, the two substances are mixed into a single mixture. However, the flour and sugar particles do not dissolve into each other. Considering these definitions and properties of the substances involved, we can now categorize the resulting product. Solution:
04

Identify the product as a solution or a heterogeneous mixture

The resulting product of mixed and ground flour and powdered sugar is a heterogeneous mixture. This is because the particles of flour and sugar are not dissolved in each other but rather mixed together. The components of the mixture can still be separated, as they are not chemically combined or uniformly distributed at the molecular level.

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