Question #9e1e5
1 Answer
Feb 15, 2018
Because it contains more than one phase.
Explanation:
Ketchup is generally a blend of finely pureed tomatoes with vinegar and spices.
So whilst it may well be smooth and of uniform consistency, it contains more than one phase. Some of it is liquid, and some of it (the pulp from the tomatoes, for example) is solid. Therefore it is more accurately a paste or dispersion. By definition such things are heterogeneous mixtures. This is in contrast to something like vinegar, which is a mixture of acetic acid and water - both liquid phase substances, so it is a homogeneous mixture.
