Which of the following best describes a fruit salad in terms of solutions?

• A. A fruit salad is a colloidal solution.
• B. A fruit salad is a heterogeneous mixture, not a solution.
• C. A fruit salad is a homogeneous solution.
• D. A fruit salad is a pure substance.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the definitions of the terms involved: a pure substance has a uniform and definite composition; a homogeneous solution is a mixture where the composition is uniform throughout; a colloidal solution contains particles dispersed throughout a medium but not fully dissolved; a heterogeneous mixture consists of visibly different substances or phases.
2. Analyze the nature of a fruit salad: it contains distinct pieces of fruit that are not dissolved or uniformly distributed at the molecular level.
3. Recognize that because the components in a fruit salad remain physically separate and can be distinguished easily, it does not qualify as a homogeneous solution or a pure substance.
4. Consider whether a fruit salad is a colloidal solution: colloids have particles that are intermediate in size and dispersed but not settling out quickly; fruit pieces are much larger and clearly separate, so it is not a colloid.
5. Conclude that a fruit salad is best described as a heterogeneous mixture because it consists of visibly different components mixed together without uniform composition.