Can a compound be separated by physical means?

1 answer:

3 0

No, it is not possible.
A compound is a substance or material constituting of two or more elements that have been chemically combined together to form a new, different substance

Any elements that have been joined together chemically can only be separated back into their constituent elements by chemical means because the bonds holding them together can only be broken using chemical means.

A good example is sodium chloride, table salt. Poisonous chlorine gas and toxic sodium metal react together whereby sodium loses one electron which chlorine readily accepts and in the process an ionic bond is formed between the two resulting in a totally new, harmless compound , sodium chloride.

Only through electrolysis can sodium chloride be separated back into sodium and chlorine gas. No physical means can be used to do that.

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