The primary difference between a compound and a mixture lies in their composition and the way their components interact with each other.
A mixture is a combination of two or more substances where each substance retains its individual properties. The components of a mixture can be separated by physical means, such as filtration, evaporation, or decantation. For example, if you mix sand and salt, you can easily separate them by dissolving the salt in water and filtering out the sand.
A compound, on the other hand, is a substance formed when two or more elements chemically combine in a fixed ratio. In a compound, the individual properties of the elements are lost, and new properties emerge. Compounds cannot be separated into their individual elements by physical means; they require chemical reactions to break them down. An example of a compound is water (H2O), where hydrogen and oxygen are chemically bonded together.
In summary, a mixture allows for physical separation and retains the properties of its components, while a compound requires chemical processes for separation and exhibits entirely new properties.