Zmesi

Zmesi, or mixtures, are combinations of two or more substances that are physically intermingled but not chemically bonded. In a zmes, the components retain their own chemical identities and properties, and the overall composition can vary within certain limits. This distinguishes mixtures from pure substances, which have a fixed composition and defined chemical bonds.

Mixtures are usually categorized as homogeneous or heterogeneous. Homogeneous mixtures, or solutions, have a uniform composition throughout, for example salt dissolved in water or air as a blend of gases. Heterogeneous mixtures do not have uniform composition; their components can often be seen with the naked eye, such as a fruit salad, wood, or a rock with visible grains. Within heterogeneous mixtures, there are suspensions (where particles are dispersed but can settle over time) and colloids (where particles are dispersed and do not settle, though they are not completely uniform at the microscopic level).

Because zmesi are held together by physical forces, their components can typically be separated by physical methods. Common separation techniques include filtration, decanting, centrifugation, distillation, evaporation, crystallization, and chromatography, depending on the properties of the substances involved.

Mixtures are ubiquitous in daily life and industry, ranging from food and beverages to environmental systems and materials engineering. They contrast with compounds and elements, which consist of chemically bonded components in fixed ratios.