Final answer:
Baking powder shows visible particles when mixed with water, suggesting it is a heterogeneous mixture because it does not dissolve completely, allowing individual components to retain their own properties.
Step-by-step explanation:
When observing the properties of baking powder, we find that it can suggest the presence of a mixture of substances. Baking powder, unlike sodium chloride (table salt) which forms a homogeneous mixture when dissolved in water, exhibits different behavior. The observation that indicates baking powder is a mixture of substances is that it likely shows visible particles when mixed with water, which means it does not dissolve completely, forming a heterogeneous mixture, rather than a homogeneous one. This behavior can be attributed to the different substances in baking powder that do not all dissolve at the same rate or to the same extent, thereby allowing the individual components to retain their own identities and properties within the mixture.