Solute + Solvent = Solution

Let's imagine the solid blue particles are salt and the red liquid particles are water. This is just an image of the liquid particles moving in between the solid particles and breaking them apart. This is how particle theory explains how a solute dissolves in a solvent to make a solution. (i.e. Salt dissolves in water)

Solutions

A SOLVENT is a substance that dissolves other materials.

A SOLUTE is a substance that dissolves in a solvent.

A SOLUTION is a mixture of a solute and a solvent.

Differences between Compounds and Mixtures

Mixture:
1. The amounts of the substances in the mixture can vary
2. A mixture contains two or more substances.
3. The properties of a mixture are similar to those of the substances in the mixture.
4. There are practically no energy changes when a mixture is made.
5. It is usually easy to separate the components of a mixture.

Compound:
1. The elements in a compound are always present in the same fixed proportion or ratio.
(e.g. H₂O).
2. A compound is a single substance.
3. The properties of a compound are different to those of the elements which reacted to 
form the compound.
4. Heat is usually given out or taken in when a compound is formed.
5. It is usually difficult to separate the components of a compound. 

Compounds and Mixtures - Iron Sulfide

Here's a youtube clip of the experiment we carried out, making a mixture of iron and sulfide into the compound iron sulfide.

Periodic Table

Here's a link to a nice website giving information on all the elements of the periodic table.
http://periodictable.com/

Remember:
An Element is something that cannot be broken down into simpler parts by chemical means.
A Compound is a substance that is made up of two or more different elements chemically combined together [e.g. FeS (Iron Sulfide) which we formed by heating iron (Fe) and sulfur (S)].
A Mixture consists of two or more different substances mingled with each other but not chemically combined.

Everybody loves a jigsaw..

http://www.creative-chemistry.org.uk/funstuff/jigsaw/table.htm

Above is a link to an online jigsaw which contains the first 20 elements of the periodic table!

Fun times!

A bit of history..

Only 9 of the elements—carbon, sulfur, copper, iron, tin, gold, silver, mercury, and lead—were known in the uncombined state in ancient times. Although they were recognized as distinct materials, they were not classified as elements. In ancient and medieval times, the elements were earth, air, fire, and water, the four simple substances of which all material bodies were thought to be made.

The modern use of the concept of an element dates from the early 1660s, when the chemist Robert Boyle (who was born in Lismore, County Waterford) described elements as primitive and simple materials that are not made of any other materials or of one another. Robert Boyle was born in Co. Waterford in 1627. He was the 7th son, and the 14th child of Richard Boyle, who was the first Earl of Cork! (www.juniorscience.ie)