As we discussed in the last lesson, a potion is a magical mixture composed of magical, mundane, and transitional ingredients. Individually, each of these ingredients have their own effects that either help or hinder the human body. However, when we place these ingredients in a cauldron and add both thermal and magical energy, it prompts those ingredients to restructure themselves, to state it simply, and to form new chemicals and compounds.

A compound is a single substance formed by two or more atoms. For example water is H2O, which means it’s formed by two hydrogens and one oxygen. There is only one substance forming its composition, and this is why water is a compound.

On the other hand, a mixture combines two or more compounds together. For example, when you mix water and salt together there are two molecules in the same glass. We have two different substances coexisting with one another - thus, forming a mixture.

A mixture can either be considered heterogeneous or homogeneous. A heterogeneous mixture you can see the different parts of the potions and pick it apart. A homogeneous mixture you can’t see the individual parts but it can still be pulled apart without a chemical change. For example you can boil saltwater to only get the salt.

Now, I often say that a potion is a mixture of compounds. You mix different things together to make one mixture. These can separate after some time, for example, you see a ribbon of gold running through a teal potion, this likely indicates differing compounds.

This brings us to the topic of a solution, which is a type of a mixture. A solution is when there is a smaller amount of a substance, known as the solute, spreads throughout a greater quantity of another substance, known as the solvent. The solute (or solutes) does not have to be interspersed evenly throughout the solvent, but it does have to be there in some amount. One example of this is salt water. If you add a tablespoon of salt to a 350 mL (about 12 oz) cup of water, then stir it well, you will find yourself with a salt water solution. The salt -- the solute -- is spread throughout the water, the solvent. However, one can still distinguish the separate elements of saltwater: the salt crystals may even still crunch a bit if you bite down after a sip of the water.

Depending on the head, a liquid could form into a solid or gas. The hotter something is, the more energy it is producing.

The Briefest of Looks at Theory

The different components combining do not react on their on, you need heat and magic. The order you add the ingredients becomes important, because it enables certain ingredients to react in a specific way as the potion is brewed. This reaction causes the bonds of molecules to create something new.