FORM 2 - CHEMISTRY – SEPARATING MIXTURES

EXPLAIN METHODS OF SEPARATING MIXTURES.

The choice of separation method of a mixture depends on the physical properties of the components of
the mixture.

Property Method of filtration

Particle size: 1. Sieving Sieving is a simple technique for separating particles of different sizes. A
sieve such as used for sifting flour has very small holes. Coarse particles are separated or
This is the broken up by grinding against one another and the screen openings
difference in
sizes between
the different
particles
present in a
mixture.

2. Hand picking

Handpicking is a method of manually separating slightly larger particles from a mixture.

Handpicking, for example, can separate stone fragments from wheat or rice. It is only useful when
components are large enough to be seen

3. Filtration – separates an insoluble solid from a liquid as solid particles are larger than
liquid. For example sand and water.
 the sand stays behind in the filter paper (it becomes the residue)

• the water passes through the filter paper (it becomes the filtrate)

To make water safe for domestic use: it is treated using various different methods. Large-
scale treatment of water The following steps can be used to treat water before it is piped
to homes:

• Flocculation. Certain chemicals, such as alum, are added so that fine suspended solid
particles clump together to form larger particles called floc.

• Sedimentation. The floc is allowed to settle.

• Filtration. The clear water above the floc is passed through filters to remove any
remaining particles. This also removes some microorganisms, e.g. bacteria and viruses.

• Chlorination. Chlorine gas or monochloroamine (NH2CI) are added to kill any remaining
bacteria and viruses.

Methods to treat water in the home

• Boiling: Microorganisms can be killed by boiling water for 15 minutes.

• Filtering: Fibre filters can be used to remove suspended particles. Carbon filters
containing activated charcoal can be used to remove dissolved organic compounds,
odours and unpleasant tastes.

• Chlorinating: Microorganisms can be destroyed by adding chlorine compounds to the

water.

Boiling point- 1. Evaporation

The Evaporation is used to separate a soluble solid from a liquid. For example, copper sulfate is soluble
temperature at in water – its crystals dissolve in water to form copper sulfate solution. During evaporation, the
which a liquid water evaporates away due to having a lower boiling point, leaving solid copper sulfate crystals
turns into a behind.
vapour.

Or

Volatility –

How easily a
substance will
turn to a gas
or vapor

2. Distillation

Mixtures of liquids can be separated according to their properties. The technique used depends on
whether the liquids dissolve in each other, and so are miscible, or if they do not dissolve in each
other and are immiscible.

Separating miscible substances:

• Miscible liquids are harder to separate as they dissolve in each other.

1. Simple distillation is a method for separating the solvent from a solution. It is used to
separate a miscible substance where particles have significantly different boiling points.

• For example, water can be separated from salt solution by simple distillation. This method works
because water has a much lower boiling point than salt. When the solution is heated, the water
evaporates.

• It is then cooled and condensed into a separate container. The salt does not evaporate and so it
stays behind.
 2. Fractional distillation is a technique used to separate miscible liquids according to their
boiling points and is used when particles of the mixture has similar, but not identical,
boiling points.

The process involves repeated distillations and condensations and the mixture is usually separated
into component parts. The separation happens when the mixture is heated at a certain temperature
where fractions of the mixture start to vaporize.
After setting up the apparatus, a mixture of two miscible liquids A and B is taken where A has
more volatility than substance B. The solution is added into the distilling flask while the
fractionating column is connected at the tip of the flask. Heat is applied which increases the
temperature slowly. The mixture then starts to boil and vapours start rising in the flask. The
vapours are from the volatile component A. The vapours then start moving through the
fractionating column into the condenser where it is cooled down to form a liquid which is collected
in the receiver.
Throughout the process, vaporization and condensation take place repeatedly until the two
mixtures are separated completely.
 Fractional distillation is used in several industries. but carried out on a larger scale. Usually, huge
vertical cylindrical columns are known as “distillation columns” or “distillation or fractionation
towers” are used and ensures complete separation of the mixtures.

Applications of Fractional Distillation 

● Fractional distillation is used for the purification of water as well as

separating acetone and water.
● Fractional distillation is used in several industries like oil refineries and chemical plants
mainly for purification and separation of many organic compounds.
● Fractional distillation is also used for the separation of (liquefied) air. Components like
liquid nitrogen and oxygen as well as concentrated argon are obtained.

Distillation is more advantageous than evaporation because

1.) Distillation is a fast process while evaporation is a slow process.
2.) The liquid lost during distillation is recovered after condensation while in evaporation it isn't
recovered.
3.) Evaporation cannot be used to separate two or more miscible liquids present in a solution
whereas distillation can be used for separating two or more miscible liquids

Disadvantages of distillation is that it needs more energy in units, costly and slow output.
Evaporation takes place at low temperature with less energy, provides cooling . It is a slow
process.

Solubility - Chromatography
Solubility is
the ability of a • Paper chromatography is a method for separating dissolved substances from
solid, liquid,
one another.
or gaseous
chemical
substance • It is often used when the dissolved substances are coloured, such as inks,
(referred to as
the solute) to food colourings and plant dyes.It works because some of the coloured substances dissolve in the
dissolve solvent.
in solvent (us
• A pure substance will only produce one spot on the chromatogram during
ually a liquid)
and form paper chromatography. Two substances will be the same if they produce the
a solution. 
same colour of spot, and their spots travel the same distance up the paper.

• In the example below, red, blue and yellow are three pure substances. The

sample on the left is a mixture of all three.

A chromatogram, the results of a chromatography experiment

Method

1. Simple chromatography is carried out on paper.

2. A spot of the mixture is placed near the bottom of a piece of

chromatography paper and the paper is then placed upright in a suitable

solvent, eg water.

3. As the solvent soaks up the paper, it carries the mixtures with it.

4. Different components of the mixture will move at different rates.

5. This separates the mixture out.

Density – 1. Centrifugation
mass per unit
volume, of the There are suspension mixtures where the solid particles are too fine to be separated with a filter
particles of a and a centrifuge needs to be used. Centrifuges are mechanical devices that spin at very high speeds.
The high speed allows the solid particles in suspensions to settle very quickly. Centrifuges are
 mixture. used to separate blood into plasma and red blood cells, it is also used to separate crème from milk
and make butter, its also used to separate uranium isotopes for nuclear power plants. The most
dense substances falls to the bottom layer and the less dense substances forms the top layer.

2. Decantation

Decantation involves two steps:

1. Sedimentation: Sedimentation uses gravity or a centrifuge to separate mixture

components based on density.
2. Decanting: Decanting is pouring or siphoning off the top component of a mixture or
draining the bottom component.

A solid component is called “sediment” (or “pellet” when centrifugation is used). The liquid
component that is collected is called “decant.”

The basic principle of decantation is that heavier (denser) substances sink, while lighter (less
dense) substances float. The lighter component is poured or siphoned off the top of the mixture or a
separatory funnel drains the heavier component. A separatory funnel decants components of
mixtures of immiscible liquids. One component floats on top of the other. The funnel drains the
component at the bottom of the funnel.

NOTE:

1. Centrifugation is faster than decantation due to the high speed spinning. Basically,
the artificial gravity separates mixture components more quickly.
2. Centrifugation compacts solid components into a pellet. Pouring the liquid away
from the pellet results in less loss than in simple decantation.

RESOURCE USED: ANNE TINDALE – A CONCISE REVISION COURSE IN CHEMISTRY