What is a key characteristic of mixtures?

A key characteristic of mixtures is that their components can be separated physically. This is because mixtures consist of two or more substances that retain their individual properties and do not undergo a chemical reaction when combined. For example, in a mixture like sand and salt, you can physically separate the sand from the salt using methods such as filtration or evaporation.

Unlike compounds, which have a fixed ratio of elements and form new substances with distinct characteristics through chemical bonds, mixtures allow for the flexibility of composition and do not alter the chemical identities of the individual components. This characteristic makes it easy to manipulate and separate the components of a mixture based on their physical properties.