An item selected for this assignment can be found in many households. It is a bowl of oatmeal that contains milk and Quaker oats flavored with cinnamon and spice. An inspection of this item reveals that it is a mixture, because it consists of various substances that are not physically united. Although some people might think of this meal as a single unit, it is a combination of several components. Namely, the two main ingredients include liquid milk and solid oats. Furthermore, a closer look at this item shows that these components are made of multiple elements as well. According to PepsiCo (n.d.), Quaker oats contain “whole grain rolled oats, sugar, salt, cinnamon and other spices, calcium carbonate, guar gum, caramel color, niacinamide, reduced iron, vitamin A palmitate” (p. 3). In addition, PepsiCo (n.d.) indicates that the mixture includes “pyridoxine hydrochloride*, riboflavin*, thiamin mononitrate*, folic acid*” (p. 3). As can be seen, not all parts are combined in a homogeneous way, which means that a bowl of oats is a heterogeneous mixture.
I chose this particular item because it is a popular breakfast for many people, and studying its structure in detail can show how chemistry is present in all aspects of human life. As a rule, not everyone explores objects that can be found in the household. This experiment revealed that knowledge of chemistry allows people to discover new facts about the world. To classify the substance, I inspected its general appearance and saw that milk and oats are not uniform. Besides, I read the label on the oats box and learned about its multiple ingredients, which confirmed that the item is a heterogeneous mixture.
Reference
PepsiCo. (n.d.). Quaker® instant quick oatmeal variety pack. School Nutrition and Fitness. Web.