There are two types of mixtures: heterogeneous and homogeneous. A heterogeneous mixture contains visibly distinct components that can be separated through physical means like filtering. A homogeneous mixture appears uniform throughout and maintains a single phase. Solutions are homogeneous mixtures composed of a solvent dissolving one or more solutes. Factors like temperature, particle size, shaking, and concentration affect a solute's solubility in a solvent. Solubility is measured as the maximum amount of solute that can dissolve in a solvent at a given temperature and pressure.