The Universe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Universe - Essay Example and a compound is that separation of a mixture does not involve change in chemical properties of components while separation of compounds is associated with changes in chemical properties from those of the compound’s components to the separated products’. Consequently, a mixture exhibits characteristics that are the same as those of its components unlike a compound whose properties are completely different from those its components. Another difference between mixtures and compounds is that a mixture can contain any ratio of its components while a compound is composed of distinct component ratios (Ramsden, 2001). An element can be distinguished from a compound through chemical processes in which an element, in case of a reaction, will form a homogeneous product while a compound will form different products due to differences in chemical properties of its elements (Ramsden, 2001). Ionic bonds and covalent bonds have a number of differences. Ionic bonds for example occur between metallic elements and ‘non-metallic’ elements while covalent bonds form between ‘non-metallic’ elements. While ionic bonds form electrolytic compounds, that conducts electricity in liquid or aqueous state, covalent bonds forms ‘non-electrolytic’ compounds. Another difference between ionic bonds and covalent bonds is that while ionic bonds have a similar trend in characteristics, covalent bonds exhibit different trends in characteristics due to different types of covalent bonds (Ramsden, 2001). The reason for reaction between metals and ‘non-metals’ to form ionic bonds is because metals lose electrons while the ‘non-metals’ gain electrons for stability, forming oppositely charged ions that constitute the metallic bond. The metals lose their outer most electrons that are gained by the ‘non-metals’ for stability of both elements. While the elements are unstable and utilize energy to either, lose or gain electrons for stability, metals require less energy to lose