Chapter 6:

Elements,
Compounds
and Mixtures
Before we move on,

We have

Representing the video

clip available
 Lesson Outline
recognise that substances can be classified as elements,
compounds and mixtures
distinguish among elements, compounds and mixtures
identify an element as the basic building block of matter
recognise that elements are classified according to their
properties
describe compounds as substances consisting of two or
more chemically combined elements
describe mixtures as two or more elements and/or
compounds that are not chemically combined
classify elements as metals and non-metals based on their
characteristic properties
show an appreciation of the systematic investigation
involved in the study of substance
 6.1 Elements
Elements are the simplest kind of matter

It cannot be broken down into simpler

lead
substances by chemical reactions
o2 o2
E.g. When you heat oxygen, expose it to light or Oxygen + Oxygen
pass electricity through it, it does not break = Oxygen o2
down and remains as oxygen.
There are more than 110 elements.
Every element is given a name and a chemical symbol.
Chemical symbol takes one or two
E.g. Helium = He letters from the name of the element
First letter is always For two-letter symbols, they may not
capitalised and the letter always be the first two letters of the
that follows is in lower case name of the element
There are some cases where chemical symbols take letters from
the name of the element in other languages such as Latin, Greek
and Arabic.
Name of element Chemical symbol Name of element (Language)
Potassium K Kalium (Latin)
Iron Fe Ferrum (Latin)
Copper Cu Cuprum (Latin)
Silver Ag Argentum (Latin)
Tin Sn Stannum (Latin)
Gold Au Aurum (Latin)

Mercury Hg Hydrargyrum (Latinized

Greek)
Lead Pb Plumbum (Latin)
 6.2 Classification of Elements
To make the study of matter easier, scientists have
classified the elements.
Classifying elements according to similar chemical
properties arranged systematically in a table is called the
Periodic Table.

Go to Video 6.1
Classifying Elements by State

A simple way to classify elements is to observe their physical

states at room temperature.

Mercury (liquid) Chlorine (gas)

Lead (solid)
Classifying Elements as Metals and Non-Metals

Here are the characteristic properties that are used to classify

elements into metals and non-metals:

Non-Metal
Metal

shiny appearance dull appearance

high density low density
high melting point low melting point
good electrical and heat conductor poor electrical and heat conductor
ductile non-ductile
malleable brittle
Uses of Metals
Aluminium is used to make aircraft
bodies, packaging and cooking
utensils because it is light and
resists corrosion

Copper does not react to water and is cheap thus it is

used to make water pipes to prevent corrosion. It is also
used to make wires as it is a good conductor of electricity.

Silver reflects light so well that

it is used to coat glass to make
mirrors. Some other uses include
jewellery, coins and electrical
contacts.

Can you think of more uses of metals?

Uses of Non-metals

Hydrogen is used
as rocket fuel
for making margarine
for filling weather balloons

Oxygen is used
for respiration
for combustion
in oxy-acetylene flames for welding

Carbon is used
in the formation of living tissues
as a fuel
in pencil leads
 6.2 Mixtures
A mixture consists of two or more elements or
compounds mixed physically (not chemically combined).

It may be made up by solids, liquids or gases.

Examples of Mixtures:
Air Sea Water
It is a mixture of gaseous It is a mixture of water, salts and
elements (nitrogen, oxygen) and minerals
compounds (carbon dioxide)

Other examples of mixtures

include fog, muddy water,
milk, some medicines, brass
and steel.
Method to separate Mixtures

A mixture can be separated physically

Examples of method to separate mixtures physically :

evaporation, filtration, distillation

cooling
evaporating dish water out
pipe clay triangle

tripod stand
The
solution
Bunsen burner cooling
is heated
water
in
heat distillate
Distillation
Distillation is a method used to separate a miscible liquid-
liquid mixture that have different boiling point.

Step 1 - water and ethanol solution are heated

Step 2
-The ethanol evaporates first to become ethanol vapour
-the ethanol vapour is then cooled and condensed inside
the condenser to form a pure liquid.
Step 3
-When all the ethanol has evaporated from the solution,
the temperature rises.
-the water left evaporates, cools, then condenses to form
pure water
Sedimentation method
Sedimentation method is used to separate a mixture of
liquid and insoluble solid

clear water sediment (sand)

6.7 Distinguishing Among Elements,
Compounds and Mixtures
With the help of classification keys, it is easier to differentiate
elements, compounds and mixtures.

Some examples of classification keys

Classification web Classification branch

Branching out every section under

elements, compounds and mixtures
makes comparing them so much easier,
now even I can differentiate them fast!
 6.3 Compounds
A compound is a substance consisting of two or
more different chemically combined elements
Sodium chloride (salt)

A chemical formula is used to describe the number

and type of elements that constitute a compound

E.g. H2O (chemical formula of water) H H

O
Type of element: Hydrogen Type of element: Oxygen
Number of element: 2 Number of element: 1

Compounds are formed during chemical reactions,

where heat and sometimes It is a process in which the
light energy is given out or original substances are changed
taken in to one or more new substances.
 Formation of Compounds
Chemical combination of elements
Magnesium and oxygen combine
chemically to produce magnesium
oxide (compound)

Word equation : Magnesium + oxygen magnesium oxide

(element) (element) (compound)

Chemical combination of elements and compounds

When colourless oxygen and nitrogen dioxide is mixed, they combine
chemically to produce a coloured compound, nitrogen dioxide

Word equation : Nitrogen oxide + oxygen nitrogen dioxide

(compound) (element) (compound)
 Chemical combination of compounds

Word equation : Ammonia + hydrogen chloride ammonium chloride

(compound) (compound) (compound)

When colourless gaseous ammonia is mixed with colourless

gaseous hydrogen chloride, they combine chemically to
produce a white solid, ammonium chloride.
6.4 Some Common
Characteristics of Compounds
All compounds share some common properties which enable
us to identify them.
Compounds are formed by chemical reactions, which
usually involve an exchange of energy (heat/light) with the
surroundings.
A compound has properties that are different from the
properties of its constituent elements

Sodium (solid) Chlorine (gas) Sodium chloride (solid)

How is sodium chloride different from sodium or chlorine?

 evaporating dish
A compound can only be pipe clay triangle

broken down into simpler tripod stand

substances by chemical Bunsen burner

methods
(e.g. thermal decomposition)
boiling to dryness

The different elements in a compound are chemically

combined in a fixed proportion by mass

2g of hydrogen + 4g of oxygen 6g of water