Data Analysis
Do the Contents of Two Cans of Mixed Nuts Meet FDA Regulations?
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has two main areas of concern about food. First, and most important, the FDA ensures that food sold in the United States is safe to eat. Second, the FDA ensures that the information on a food label accurately describes a food product.
What can you assume when you see the label “mixed nuts” on a can of nuts? According to the FDA regulations, a can labeled mixed nuts must contain at least four types of shelled nuts other than peanuts. The mass of each type of nut must be not less than 2 percent of the total mass and not more than 80 percent of the total mass.
Type of Nut |
Mass in Brand A |
Mass in Brand B |
|---|---|---|
Peanut |
152.39 g |
191.96 g |
Almond |
47.02 g |
31.18 g |
Brazil nut |
57.88 g |
19.60 g |
Cashew |
46.20 g |
73.78 g |
Hazelnut |
19.90 g |
16.90 g |
Pecan |
21.40 g |
16.90 g |
Comparing and Contrasting How are the two brands of mixed nuts alike? How are they different?
Calculating What is the percent by mass of each type of nut in each can?
Drawing Conclusions Do the contents of each can meet the FDA regulations? Explain.
Inferring On the Brand A label, the nuts are listed in this order: peanuts, Brazil nuts, almonds, cashews, pecans, and hazelnuts. What do you think determines the order?
Homogeneous Mixtures
If you collect water from both the shallow end and the deep end of a swimming pool, the water samples will appear the same. The water in a swimming pool is a homogeneous (hoh moh GEE nee us) mixture of water and substances that dissolve in water. In a homogeneous mixture, the substances are so evenly distributed that it is difficult to distinguish one substance in the mixture from another. A homogeneous mixture appears to contain only one substance. The serving spoon in Figure 5 is made of stainless steel—a homogeneous mixture of iron, chromium, and nickel.
Solutions, Suspensions, and Colloids
It isn't always easy to tell a homogeneous mixture from a heterogeneous mixture. You may need to observe the properties of a mixture before you decide. The size of the particles in a mixture has an effect on the properties of the mixture. 
Based on the size of its largest particles, a mixture can be classified as a solution, a suspension, or a colloid.
Solutions
If you place a spoonful of sugar in a glass of hot water and stir, the sugar dissolves in the water. The result is a homogeneous mixture of sugar and water. When substances dissolve and form a homogeneous mixture, the mixture that forms is called a solution. The windshield wiper fluid in Figure 6 is a solution. So is tap water.
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