Is natural gas a mechanical mixture or a solution?

Natural gas is considered a mechanical mixture rather than a solution. It primarily consists of hydrocarbons, mainly methane, along with smaller amounts of other gases such as ethane, propane, and butane. These components can exist in varying proportions, and they do not chemically combine, allowing them to be separated through physical processes. In contrast, a solution involves a solute fully dissolving in a solvent at a molecular level.