COLEGIO SAN AGUSTIN – BACOLOD

College of Health and Allied Professions CHEM 101M LABORATORY ACTIVITY

Medical Technology Program

EXPERIMENT NO. 2
SEPARATION TECHNIQUES

In the laboratory, we will often handle pure substance and mixtures. In order to ensure that a student
does not introduce impurities through carelessness or endanger himself or those who work with him,
Common Separation Technique and Procedures must be introduced.

DECANTATION. When an insoluble solid is dense or heavy, it easily settles at the bottom of the
container. The clear liquid (supernatant liquid) that separates is carefully poured off without disturbing
the solids. The technique is called decantation. If the solid is fine or does not easily settle, the process of
filtration is preferred.

SUBLIMATION. Sublimation makes use of the special property of pure substance of changing in, physical
state from solid to gas without passing through the liquid state. This technique is used to separate the
components of solid mixture.

FILTRATION. Filtration is a process or technique of separating the precipitate or insoluble solid

components of a mixture from a liquid compound.

ADSORPTION. Adsorption is a process that occurs when a gas or liquid solute accumulates on the
surface of a solid or a liquid (adsorbent), forming a molecular or atomic film (the adsorbate). It is
different from absorption, in which a substance diffuses into a liquid or solid to form a solution. The
term sorption encompasses both processes, while desorption is the reverse process.

EVAPORATION. Evaporation is a process or technique of separating the dissolved solid from the liquid
solvent. This technique is used if the liquid is not to be recovered. (If the liquid is desired distillation is
preferred) Evaporation can also be used to remove a volatile solid mixed in liquid with higher boiling
point. (If the evaporated solid is to be recovered, see sublimation.)

DISTILLATION. The distillation process is a very important technique used to separate compounds based
on their boiling points. A substance will boil only when the vapor pressure of the liquid is equal to the
external pressure being applied by the surroundings. Distillations can be used to efficiently purify
volatile (i.e. low boiling) compounds. The general concept of distillation involves the boiling of a mixture,
resulting in the lower boiling compounds boiling off first. This compound is then collected when the
vapors are cooled on a condenser.

OBJECTIVES

This activity will enable the students to:

1. Name and identify a number of common laboratory operations or laboratory techniques.

2. Perform/Execute the different common laboratory operations or laboratory techniques.

MATERIALS

APPARATUS
3 – 50 mL beaker
1 – Bunsen burner
1 – Crucible tongs
1 – 250 mL Erlenmeyer flask
1 – Evaporating dish
1 – 25 ml graduated cylinder
1 – Funnel
1 – Mortar & pestle
2 – Iron stand
1 – Iron ring
1 – Rubber tubing
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1 – Triple beam balance
1 – Tripod
1 – Universal clamp
1 – Watch glass
2 – Clamps with extension
2 – Rubber tubing (water)
1 – Set cork-borer
1 – Distilling flask
1– 250 ml Erlenmeyer flask
1 – Adapter
2 – Bunsen burner
CHEMICALS
50 mL barium chloride (BaCl2) sol’n
50 mL dilute hydrochloric acid (HCl) sol’n
50 mL dilute sulfuric acid (H2SO4) sol’n
50 mL salt solution
20 g table sugar
20 g calcium carbonate
5 g naphthalene flakes
200 mL water sample (turbid water)
1 st Sem 2022-2023
 COLEGIO SAN AGUSTIN – BACOLOD
College of Health and Allied Professions CHEM 101M LABORATORY ACTIVITY
Medical Technology Program

1 – Spatula 1 – Condenser
1 – Stirring rod 1 – Funnel
1 – 5 mL syringe 1– Tripod
1 – 25 mL test tube 1 – Wire gauze
1 – Test tube holder 5 – Filter Papers

PROCEDURE

DECANTATION
1. Add 50 mL of water to 5 g calcium carbonate.
2. An alternative method to remove the supernatant liquid is to draw it out using a syringe. Practice
this method using the solution in (1).

FILTRATION
This technique uses filter paper and a funnel to hold the filter paper.
1. Fold the filter paper into quarters.
2. Open the folded paper with 3 quarters on one side and only one on the other (Fig. 1).
3. Dampen the folded filter paper with water so that it will adhere to the glass surface of the funnel.
4. Practice filtration by adding 7 ml of dilute sulfuric acid to10 mL barium chloride solution.
5. Prepare the filtration set-up. Note that the tip of the funnel touches the side of the beaker. Pour
slowly the mixture from the beaker into the glass funnel with filter paper and guide it with a stirring
rod until it is about ¾ full (Fig. 2).

Figure 1. Figure 2.

EVAPORATION
1. Place 5 mL of salt solution or mixture in an evaporating dish
2. Heat over a flame until the liquid has evaporated. Note the residue left.

SUBLIMATION
1. Mix 0.5 g each of table salt and naphthalene in an evaporating dish.
2. Cover with an inverted funnel as shown in Fig. 3.
3. Heat in the fume hood over a low flame. (You may use hot plate instead of Bunsen burner.)

Figure 3.
ADSORPTION

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 COLEGIO SAN AGUSTIN – BACOLOD
College of Health and Allied Professions CHEM 101M LABORATORY ACTIVITY
Medical Technology Program

1. Mix 0.1g of food color with water to make 50 mL solution.

2. Add an activated to the solution and filter the mixture with a filter paper.

DISTILLATION
1. Set-up apparatus for distillation. (Fig. 4)
2. Distill some river water (or any impure/turbid water will do). Collect at least 50 mL of distillate on a
separate container, boil some river water for a few minutes just enough to kill germs. Compare the
distillate with the boiled water as to taste, smell, and clarity.

Figure 4.

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 COLEGIO SAN AGUSTIN – BACOLOD
College of Health and Allied Professions CHEM 101M LABORATORY ACTIVITY
Medical Technology Program

Name: ___________________________________________________________ Section: ____________

Date Performed: ________________________ Group No.: ________________ Rating: _____________

EXPERIMENT NO. 2
SEPARATION TECHNIQUES

Note your observation and cite 2 examples of each of the different ways of separation techniques:

1. Filtration

2. Decantation

3. Evaporation

4. Sublimation

5. Adsorption

6. Distillation

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 COLEGIO SAN AGUSTIN – BACOLOD
College of Health and Allied Professions CHEM 101M LABORATORY ACTIVITY
Medical Technology Program

CONCLUSION:

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