Is Brass a compound or a mixture and why?
It is a mixture, it can be separated.
It is an alloy of copper and zinc, therefore it is a mixture, since a compound is chemically formed while an alloy is just a dissolving of one metal in another.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brass
Brass is a mixture, not a compound.
To determine whether something is a compound or a mixture, we need to understand the composition of the substance. A compound is a substance that consists of two or more different elements chemically combined in a fixed ratio. On the other hand, a mixture is a substance that contains two or more different substances (elements or compounds) physically combined, without any fixed ratio.
In the case of brass, it is an alloy made by combining copper and zinc. Brass typically contains around 60-70% copper and 30-40% zinc. The copper and zinc atoms in brass mix together through a process called solid-state diffusion, forming a homogeneous mixture. However, they do not chemically react with each other to form a new compound.
Therefore, brass is classified as a mixture because its composition can vary within a specific range, depending on the desired properties. Additionally, brass can be separated into its individual components (copper and zinc) through physical methods, such as melting or dissolving, which further supports the classification of brass as a mixture.