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homogeneous mixture
/ˌhoʊməˈdʒiːniəs ˈmɪks.tʃɚ/
uniform composition mixture
Air is a homogeneous mixture of gases like nitrogen and oxygen.
Air is an example where gases are evenly mixed and cannot be separated by simple means.
technical
A mixture in which the components are uniformly distributed and cannot be visually distinguished from one another.
Saltwater is a homogeneous mixture because the salt dissolves completely and spreads evenly throughout the water.
Saltwater demonstrates uniform distribution where salt particles are invisible to the naked eye.
Brass is a homogeneous mixture of copper and zinc, making it uniform in appearance and properties.
Brass shows how metals can combine to form a single, consistent material.
In chemistry, homogeneous mixtures are also called solutions. They have a single phase (solid, liquid, or gas) throughout.
Collocations
homogeneous mixturea mixture with uniform compositiondissolve in a homogeneous mixtureto integrate fully into a uniform mixtureseparate a homogeneous mixtureto divide a uniform mixture into its components (requires advanced techniques)
Pro Tip
Remember the difference from heterogeneous mixtures
In a homogeneous mixture (like saltwater), you cannot see the individual components. In a heterogeneous mixture (like sand in water), you can see separate parts.
Gold Rule
Key characteristic of homogeneous mixtures
They have only one visible phase (e.g., liquid, gas) and uniform properties throughout.
Word Origin
From Greek 'homos' (same) + 'genos' (kind) + Latin 'mixtura' (mixing). The term entered scientific English in the 19th century to describe uniform compositions.
Usage Notes
Commonly used in chemistry and materials science. Do not confuse with 'homogeneous' (adjective) alone, which describes uniformity in other contexts (e.g., homogeneous society).
Word Breakdown
homogeneous
uniform in composition
rootmixture
combination of substances
rootEnglish Dictionary