* Element: An element is a pure substance made up of only one type of atom (like gold, oxygen, or carbon).

* Mixture: A mixture combines two or more substances that are not chemically bonded. The substances in a mixture can be separated by physical means.

* Solution: A solution is a special type of mixture where one substance (the solute) is dissolved evenly into another substance (the solvent).

* Compound: A compound is formed when two or more elements chemically combine in a fixed ratio.

Sugar (sucrose) is made up of the elements carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and oxygen (O) bonded together in a specific arrangement. This fixed ratio and chemical bond distinguish it from a mixture or an element.