What is a material composed of two or more elements or compounds that are physically mixed together but not chemically combined called?

A material that fits this description is known as a mixture. In a mixture, the individual components retain their own properties and can often be separated by physical means.

For example, consider a salad. The lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers are all separate entities mixed together, but they do not lose their individual characteristics. Similarly, when you mix sand and salt, each substance remains unchanged, and you can separate them by using water to dissolve the salt, leaving the sand behind.

This is in contrast to a compound, where two or more elements chemically combine to form a new substance with distinct properties. An example of a compound is water (H2O), where hydrogen and oxygen are chemically bonded. Therefore, the key takeaway is that mixtures do not involve chemical bonding, allowing the components to be physically separated and maintaining their original properties.

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