Final answer:
A characteristic of all mixtures is that they retain the physical properties of their individual components. Mixtures can be either homogeneous, with a uniform composition, or heterogeneous, with a visible non-uniform composition that allows physical separation of components.
Step-by-step explanation:
Characteristic of all mixtures is that they retain the physical properties of their individual substances. Mixtures can be either homogeneous or heterogeneous. A homogeneous mixture has a uniform composition throughout; for example, air is made up of different gases such as nitrogen, oxygen, and argon, which are in a constant ratio and cannot be visually distinguished. Conversely, a heterogeneous mixture has a non-uniform composition; the components can be seen and physically separated, like a mixture of sand and salt.
In more detail, mixtures are combinations of two or more substances where no chemical bonding occurs between the components. The substances mixed together maintain their own chemical identities and can be separated by physical means. For example, if you mixed table salt with ground pepper, you would still be able to see the individual grains of each and could, theoretically, separate them back into pure substances.