Separating Mixtures

Key Questions

• What are the types of methods to separate mixtures?

  mixtures can be separated using various separation methods such filtration,separating funnel,sublimation,simple distillation and paper chromatography.

  The methods stated above are all physical methods. There are also chemical methods, which are used by rearranging the particles so a certain substance no longer exists (chemical reaction). However here is my explanation on the four MAIN physical methods (the ones that show up on tests) of separation:

  1. Distillation.
  If two substances have different boiling points and are mixed together, you can boil them and the one with the lower boiling point will evaporate out.

  Here is a video of an experiment which uses distillation to purify water from a solution of salt water.
  

  video from: Noel Pauller

  2. Chromatography .
  If you've ever done the experiments where you draw colored dots on a paper towel and dip it in water, this is that. Chromatography is when a substance is carried away (through the towel in this case) or spread around by the absorption of water. You can also think of a spill on a rug.

  Here is a video which shows a paper chromatography experiment which was conducted to separate the pigments found in a black overhead marker.
  

  video from: Noel Pauller

  3. Crystallization.
  For a supersaturated solution, you can choose to let the solute crystallize out. Example: Rock candy (sugar solution)

  4. Filtration/decanting.
  Sort them out by particle size using a selective membrane such as filter paper.
  The video below shows how filtration can be used to separate calcium carbonate (chalk) from water.
  

  video from: Noel Pauller

  Marsha · 2 · Feb 9 2015
• What are some examples of mixtures?

  Answer:

  Mixtures are everywhere!

  Explanation:

  Mixtures are everywhere!

  Mixtures that we can see all the different kinds of materials are called heterogeneous mixtures. Tossed salad, gravel, mixed nuts, beach sand, nachos, mud puddles, fog, and Italian salad dressing are all mixtures. If you want to separate them, you can physically take them apart piece by piece.

  Here is an example of a heterogeneous mixture.

  
  (from thescienceclassroom.org)

  Mixtures that look like they are all one phase are called homogeneous mixtures. The air we breathe, syrup for your pancakes, ocean water, Kool-Aid to drink, chrome on your faucet, and stainless steel are examples of homogeneous mixtures. You can separate the mixture, but it will take some special processes.

  

  Pancake syrup is a homogeneous mixture of fructose, water, cellulose gum, caramel colour, sodium benzoate, sorbic acid, sodium hexametaphosphate, and artificial and natural flavours.

  Remember that in mixtures all the components are just mixed together and not chemically combined, and you will find them everywhere.

  Corinne F. · 31 · Mar 24 2014

• What type of mixtures can be separated by filtration?
• What type of mixtures can be separated by centrifugation?
• How do mixtures differ from compounds?
• How do mixtures differ from pure substances?
• What are the types of methods to separate mixtures?
• How can mixtures of solids be separated?
• What mixtures can be separated by physical means?
• Question #1fbad
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• What are the different parts in a centrifuge machine, and what are the different types of centrifuges?
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• What is an example where heating a substance provides a mixture of its constituent elements?
• Describe how you would separate a mixture of water, sand and iron metal filings. Which separation techniques would you use?
• Why do we not use sintered glass frits with hydrofluoric acids? Why do not collect silver halide precipitates on glass frits?
• A container holds a mixture of glass shards and iron filings. What is the best way to separate the glass shards from the iron filings?
• How would you separate sand and water?
• A container contains a mixture of sand, salt, and pebbles. How can each substance be separated from the others?
• You have soup with chicken, noodles, and carrots. How can you separate the solids and liquids?
• What is the process used to separate petroleum into different fractions?
• Explain the mixture separation techniques?
• Question #e903b
• Question #e3adc
• What is a procedure that could be used to separate a mixture of sand and table salt?
• What are the methods in separating mixtures?
• In general, what is used to separate mixtures?
• Question #8fd8b
• How you would separate the components of a mixture of sugar and sand. Would your methods result in physical or chemical changes?
• How do you separate salt from a saltwater mixture?
• How does the boiling point of hydrocarbons vary with chain-length?
• When a mixture of water, sand, and salt is filtered, what passes through the filter paper?
• In a lab 178.8g of water is separated into hydrogen gas and oxygen gas. The hydrogen gas has a mass of 20.0g. What is the mass of the oxygen gas produced?
• What is meant by #"evaporation to dryness"#?
• How can a mixture of different colored inks can be separated?
• The sugar cane juice for making sugar they mix urea then they separate the sugar , which later the make the juice in solid form . So how can we remove the chemical (un wanted)from sugar before eating ?
• Suppose you had a mixture of sand and small hollow beads. How might you separate the mixture?
• How could you separate mixture of rocks and sand?
• Your teacher has mixed salt, pepper, and water. What is a procedure that you could use to separate this mixture?
• Why are lanthanides in the same ore hard to separate?
• How would you separate a mixture of saltwater?
• How does cooling the gases allows ammonia to be separated from unused hydrogen and nitrogen, and state what happens to these unused gases?
• How would you separate iron filings from water?
• What do you do to separate salt and water?
• Question #ffe84
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• How does fractional distillation separate out ethanol and water?
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• Could you separate a colloid by filtering? Explain
• A mixture can be separated by what means?
• Which of these are results of physical changes?
• Question #a57f7
• Do heterogeneous mixtures settle out by themselves?
• Do the proportions of solute to solvent vary in heterogeneous mixtures?
• What is one procedure, other than electrophoresis, that is used in the laboratory to separate the different types of molecules in a liquid mixture?
• Question #bbc16
• Consider a mixture of water, sand, and oil. How many phases are present? How could you separate mixture into individual substances?
• Question #3a12c
• Why do sommeliers decant old bottle of wine?
• Question #117af
• How do you filter a precipitate of calcium carbonate from an aqueous solution?
• If you had a bucket that contained a mixture of sand and seashells, how might you use the physical properties of the seashells to separate them from the sand?