The prefix "hetero" indicates difference.

A heterogeneous mixture consists of visibly different

substances or phases. The three phases or states of matter are gas, liquid and solid. A
heterogeneous mixture does not have a uniform composition throughout its mass.
Separation of Components of Mixtures

Most materials found in nature are in the form of mixtures. In engineering, a separation
process is used to transform a mixture into two or more distinct products. This is done by
considering that different components of the mixture may have different properties such as:

 size
 density
 solubility
 electrical charge
 boiling point
Depending on the raw mixture, various processes can be employed to separate the mixtures.
Often, two or more of these processes must be used in combination to obtain the desired
separation. In addition to chemical processes, mechanical processes are sometimes applied. In
the example of crude oil, one upstream distillation operation feeds its two or more product
streams into multiple downstream distillation operations to further separate the raw crude, and so
on, until final products are purified.
Example separation techniques for mixtures:

 Filtration is used for the separation of solids from fluids (liquids or gases) by interposing
a medium through which only the fluid can pass.
 Distillation for mixtures of liquids with different boiling points.
 Chromatography separates dissolved substances by different interaction with (that is,
travel through) a material.
 Centrifugation and cyclonic separation, separates based on density differences.
 Drying, removes liquid from a solid by vaporization.
 Magnet separation technique uses magnet to separate iron particles from a mixture.
(Refer to the associated activity Eat Iron?!! for a fun experiment to show students how
the iron component of this heterogeneous mixture (cereal) retains its properties and can
thus be separated by physical means.) 
Chemical engineers use these separation techniques to purify naturally found substances or
isolate them from other substances. For example, crude oil, also called petroleum, is a complex
mixture of carbon and hydrogen (hydrocarbons) that exists as a liquid in the Earth's crust.
Chemical engineers apply various distillation methods to purify various hydrocarbons such as
natural gases, gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, lubricating oils, asphalt, etc., from the raw crude oil.
Water purification is another good example of application of separation techniques.

Lesson Background and Concepts for Teachers

Several types of mixtures exist:
  Solutions are mixtures made by mixing a solute and a solvent, like salt in water. The
solute is the substance that dissolves. The solvent is the substance that does the
dissolving. Solutions are homogeneous.

 Suspensions are heterogeneous mixtures of a solid and a liquid in which the solid does
not dissolve, like sand in water. Suspensions settle when left standing undisturbed.

 Emulsions are a special type of suspension. This mixture consists of two liquids that do
not mix, like oil and water. Since the liquids do not mix, emulsions are heterogeneous.
Emulsions settle into layers when they are left standing undisturbed.

 Colloidal Dispersions are mixtures with characteristics partway between a solution and a

suspension, like mayonnaise. Colloidal dispersions may appear homogeneous but are
actually heterogeneous. Colloidal dispersions do not settle when left standing undisturbed
for a period of time.

Associated Activities
 Element, Mixture, Compound - Students discuss materials they use in their daily lives to
gain a better understanding of pure substances vs. mixtures, and homogeneous vs.
heterogeneous mixtures.
Watch this activity on YouTube

 Eat Iron?! - Students use strong magnets to find the element of iron in iron-fortified
breakfast cereal flakes. They see how the iron component of this heterogeneous mixture
(cereal) retains its properties and can thus be separated by physical means.

Vocabulary/Definitions
compound: A pure chemical substance consisting of two or more different chemical elements.
element: A substance consisting one type of atom.
heterogeneous mixture: A mixture that consists of visibly different substances or phases.
homogeneous mixture: A mixture that has the same uniform appearance and composition
throughout its mass.
mixture: A substance consisting mixing two or more material.
solute: Material dissolved in a solution.
solution: A homogeneous mixture composed of two or more substances.
solvent: A liquid, solid, or gas that dissolves another solid, liquid, or gaseous solute.