Differences between mixtures and compounds1 One difference between mixtures and compounds is that compounds have a certain composition, as opposed to mixtures which can vary. Chemical compounds consist of two or more elements bonded together in a fixed mass ratio that can only be separated by chemical means. And a mixture is a substance created by merging two or more different materials without a chemical reaction. Additionally, compounds can only be separated if they are destroyed. But the elements in mixtures can be easily physically separated from each other. Another difference is that mixtures are generally heterogeneous while compounds are always homogeneous. Additionally, the properties of compounds are completely different from those of their constituents. However, in a mixture, the constituents do not lose their individual properties. Compound vs Element2 Elements are substances that cannot be broken down further into simpler substances by chemical means. There are currently 103 known elements from which all existing matter is made. And they each have their own atomic number based on ...