Table salt, scientifically known as sodium chloride (NaCl), is classified as a compound.
This is because it is formed from the chemical combination of sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl) in a fixed ratio, resulting in a substance with distinct properties that are different from those of its constituent elements. In a compound, the elements are bonded together chemically, which is the case with table salt.
To clarify further:
- Elements are pure substances that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical means.
- Compounds are substances formed when two or more elements bond together in a specific ratio, like NaCl.
- Homogeneous mixtures consist of two or more substances that are evenly distributed, but they retain their individual properties.
- Heterogeneous mixtures contain visibly different substances or phases.
- Energy is not a material substance and thus cannot be classified in this context.
- None of the above does not apply since table salt fits into the compound category.
Therefore, the correct answer is compound.