Final answer:
Components of a mixture, whether in a homogeneous or heterogeneous form, retain their original properties and can be mechanically separated. Examples of mixtures include saltwater and filtered coffee for homogeneous, and orange juice with pulp for heterogeneous ones, unlike compounds where elements form substances with new properties.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that components of a mixture maintain their original properties is true. In chemistry, a homogeneous mixture, also known as a solution, has a uniform composition throughout, meaning that any sample of the mixture will be consistent with the whole. Examples of homogeneous mixtures include salt dissolved in water or filtered coffee. Despite blending seamlessly, each component preserves its properties; saltwater remains saline and wet like its constituents. Heterogeneous mixtures, conversely, exhibit a varied composition, such as orange juice with pulp or a compact disc showing different regions. Both types of mixtures are distinctive because the individual substances retain their unique physical properties and can be separated by mechanical means without any chemical change.
Homogeneous and heterogeneous mixtures differ from chemical compounds, where the elements involved undergo a chemical change to form substances with entirely different properties from the original elements. For example, sodium, a soft shiny metal, and chlorine, a green gas, react to become table salt, which is neither metallic nor gaseous. In contrast, mixtures like salt and pepper remain visibly distinct and separable, exemplifying the preservation of original properties within a mixture.