National League for Nursing (NLN PAX) Practice Exam

The term heterogeneous in the context of matter refers specifically to mixtures that are composed of different components that can be distinctly identified. In a heterogeneous mixture, the individual substances remain physically separate and do not blend smoothly. This means that the composition varies from one part of the mixture to another, allowing the components to be observed as separate entities.

For example, a bowl of salad is a heterogeneous mixture because you can clearly see and identify the individual ingredients such as lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Each component retains its own properties and can usually be separated from the others.

In contrast, homogeneous mixtures, like solutions, are uniform throughout and do not have distinguishable parts. The other options do not accurately describe the term heterogeneous as they either refer to only elements or compounds, rather than focusing on mixtures. This quality of mixtures being visibly distinct is what solidifies the classification under the term heterogeneous.