Question

Pick the best difference between mixing and blending.

• A. Mixing can only be done for a solid-solid system, while blending is done for solid-liquid mixture
• B. Mixing is done for liquid-liquid, gas-liquid and solid-liquid systems, while blending is done for solid-solid mixture
• C. Blending is done for liquid-liquid and gas-liquid systems, while mixing is done for solid-solid mixture
• D. Mixing is done for liquid-liquid and gas-liquid systems, while blending is done for solid-solid mixture

Hint:

Mixing is used for dissimilar phases (like liquids and gases), while blending is mainly used for solid-solid combinations like powders.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

In chemical and process industries, the terms mixing and blending are often used interchangeably, but they refer to different operations based on the physical state of the materials involved.
- Mixing generally refers to the operation used for combining dissimilar materials such as liquids, gases, or solids with liquids. It ensures homogeneity in systems like liquid-liquid emulsions, gas-liquid absorption, and slurry suspensions.
- Blending, on the other hand, typically applies to the homogeneous combination of similar materials — most commonly solid-solid systems such as powder blending in pharmaceuticals or food industries.
Let’s evaluate the options:
- (1) Incorrect — mixing is not limited to solid-solid systems.
- (3) Incorrect — blending is rarely applied to liquid-liquid and gas-liquid systems.
- (4) Incorrect — incorrectly reverses the roles of mixing and blending.
Only option (2) accurately distinguishes the application areas of mixing and blending based on material phases.