Word: homogeneous (adjective)

Associations

"Homogeneous" means something made up of parts that are all the same or very similar.

• In science, a "homogeneous mixture" means all parts are evenly mixed and look the same, like salt water.
• In society, a "homogeneous group" means people who are similar in culture or background.
• In math, "homogeneous equation" means an equation where all terms have the same degree. A well-known synonym is "uniform." The difference: "uniform" often means consistent in appearance or behavior, while "homogeneous" means made of similar parts inside, not just outside.

Substitution

You can use:

• "uniform" (if you mean consistent or the same throughout)
• "similar" (if you mean alike but not exactly the same)
• "consistent" (if you mean without variation) Using "uniform" can focus more on the outside look, while "homogeneous" focuses on internal similarity.

Deconstruction

"Homogeneous" comes from Greek:

• "homo-" means "same"
• "geneous" comes from "genos" meaning "kind" or "type" So, "homogeneous" means "of the same kind."

Inquiry

• Can you think of an example of a homogeneous material or group in your life?
• How would you explain the difference between homogeneous and heterogeneous (which means mixed or different parts)?
• Why do you think it is important to know if something is homogeneous or not?