What term describes a mixture in which the components remain distinct and can be separated by physical means?

• A. Solution
• B. Colloid
• C. Heterogeneous mixture
• D. Pure substance

Answer: (C)

A heterogeneous mixture is a mixture where the different parts keep their own identities and can be separated by physical means. You can often see the different components or can separate them with simple methods like picking them apart, filtering, or decanting. For example, a mixture of sand and pebbles or a salad shows distinct parts that can be physically separated.

In contrast, a solution is uniform at the microscopic level, so the components aren’t visibly distinct and require more involved methods to separate. A colloid has particles dispersed in a way that appears uniform but can’t be separated by ordinary filtration, and a pure substance is a single, uniform material, not a mix. So the description fits the term describing a mixture whose components remain distinct and separable by physical means.