Question

How do you know that water is not simply a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen?

Answer 1

If we are going to mix different chemicals together and the resultant chemical properties are the same as that of the individual chemicals before they mix then they are called mixtures. Means those mixed compounds do not contain the new properties in the mixture.

Complete step-by-step answer: - In the question it is given that to find the water is a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen or not.
- The chemicals which do not mix completely and have the similar properties of the individual chemicals then those chemicals are called mixtures.
- Coming to the concept of water.
- Water has a composition of two hydrogens and one oxygen atom in it.
- The molecular formula of water is ${{H}_{2}}O$ .
- Water is not a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen.
- Because the water does not have the properties of their individual chemicals.
- Hydrogen and oxygen are gaseous in nature but water is liquid in nature.
- Hydrogen and oxygen are diatomic in nature but water is triatomic in nature.
- Water has a boiling point but hydrogen and oxygen molecules do not have boiling points.
- Means hydrogen and oxygen molecules are going to react chemically not physically to form water.
- Therefore water is not a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen.

Note: Mixtures will have the same properties like the properties of the individual chemicals. For example take FeS chemical it is chemically inert and not going to get attracted by a magnet even if the chemical contains iron in it.