What is heterogeneous?

What Does heterogeneous Mean

From the Latin heterogenĕus , heterogeneous is that which is composed of parts of different nature .
In addition to all the above, we would have to add the existence of another important term. This is what is known as heterogeneous grouping, which is carried out in what is the educational field.

Specifically, that expression is used to refer to a type of distribution that is carried out in the students' classes. This consists in that, for example, all those students who are gifted will not all be placed together in the same class but in several classrooms. In this way, in each group what will exist will be an intellectual, emotional and educational diversity.
This is related to what is known as flexible grouping in open classrooms. What this action basically pursues is that the students themselves have the ability to choose certain issues in their education. In this way, what will be achieved is that they improve not only their personal autonomy but also their motivation to face their present and future training.

For chemistry , a heterogeneous system is made up of at least two phases. This characteristic can be detected from a simple visualization, when the different components of the system are appreciated .
An example of a heterogeneous system is granite or berroqueña stone , an igneous rock that is made up of quartz, mica, and feldspar. When looking at this stone , its various granules and spots can be noticed.
Heterogeneous systems, therefore, present intensive properties whose values ​​differ in some of their points . There are heterogeneous systems that are even made up of a single element, although with more than one phase (like an ice cube floating in water).
The suspensions (composed of a solid and a liquid) and emulsions (consisting of two liquids) are two types of heterogeneous systems. It should be noted that there are various mechanisms for the separation of the phases of these systems.
The filtration is the method for separating a solid from a liquid when the former is insoluble in the second. For this, it is necessary to use some type of filter that allows the solid to be retained while the liquid passes through small holes. Straining the orange juice to remove the seeds is an example of filtration.
The screening , in turn, helps to separate two components of a solid heterogeneous system. The sieve is the element that works as a strainer and that retains the largest solid.
The magnetization , the solution , the centrifugation and decantation are other mechanisms that allow phase separation of heterogeneous systems.
Centrifugation is the process by which the separation of solids from liquids is carried out. However, it must be emphasized that a centrifuge is used with the clear objective of accelerating the process.

In the case of decantation, it must be made clear that it is a process used to separate solids from liquids, taking into account the difference in density. More specifically when the aforementioned solid is much denser than the liquid.

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