Nickel and gold combine to make white gold. Which best describes white gold?

• A. White gold is a mixture in which gold and nickel retain their individual properties and can be easily separated.
• B. White gold is a pure element with a silvery appearance.
• C. White gold is a homogeneous alloy of gold and nickel.
• D. White gold is a compound formed by a chemical reaction between gold and nickel.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the difference between mixtures, compounds, elements, and alloys: Elements are pure substances consisting of one type of atom; compounds are substances formed by chemical reactions with fixed ratios and new properties; mixtures are physical combinations where components retain their properties; alloys are homogeneous mixtures of metals.
2. Identify that white gold is made by combining gold and nickel, both metals, which suggests it is not a pure element or a compound formed by chemical bonding but rather a mixture of metals.
3. Recognize that alloys are homogeneous mixtures of metals where the metals are mixed at the atomic level, resulting in a uniform appearance and properties different from the individual metals but without chemical bonding forming a new compound.
4. Conclude that white gold is best described as a homogeneous alloy of gold and nickel because it combines the metals uniformly and exhibits properties distinct from pure gold or nickel alone.
5. Eliminate other options: it is not a pure element (gold alone), not a compound (no chemical reaction forming new substances), and not a simple mixture where metals retain individual properties and can be easily separated.