Which best describes a compound such as sodium chloride?
a pure substance that can be separated into different elements by physical means
a mixture of two common substances that can be separated by chemical means
a mixture of two common elements that can be separated by physical means
a pure substance that can be separated into different elements by chemical means

The second option is the answer.  This is a mixture of two common substances that can be separated by chemical means.

NaCL is a compound that was formed through a chemical  reaction between sodium and chlorine. In that reaction sodium  which is a toxic metal combines with chlorine, a poisonous gas, to form a harmless but totally new compound NaCl or table salt.

Since the sodium ions have a positive charge and the chlorine ions have a negative charge, they are attracted to each other to form an ionic bond. 

 Sodium can only be separated from Chloride by chemical means e.g.  electrolysis.

let that person have a turn to speak : )

explanation:

two years ago, when picking flowers in the mountains back of yosemite valley, i found a book. it was blotted and storm-beaten; all of its outer pages were mealy and crumbly. the paper seemed to dissolve like the snow beneath which it had been buried, however; many of the inner pages were well preserved. and although all were more or less stained and torn, whole chapters were easily readable. this is the condition of the great open book of yosemite glaciers today; its granite pages have been torn and blurred by the same storms that wasted the castaway book.

two years ago, when picking flowers in the mountains back of yosemite valley; i found a book. it was blotted and storm-beaten, all of its outer pages were mealy and crumbly. the paper seemed to dissolve like the snow beneath which it had been buried, however, many of the inner pages were well preserved. and although all were more or less stained and torn; whole chapters were easily readable. this is the condition of the great open book of yosemite glaciers today, its granite pages have been torn and blurred by the same storms that wasted the castaway book.