Separating Mixtures Additional Techniques

1. Handpicking or Physical Manipulation

The method in which substances in a mixture can be separated by just picking them out
with the help of the hand from the mixture is known as the hand-picking method. It is
one of the various methods which are carried out in dry conditions.

2. Winnowing
Winnowing is the method in which heavier components of the mixture are separated
from the lighter substances with the help of wind. This method is used for separating
grains from husk after the process of threshing. Threshing is the process of separating
grain from the chaff.

3. Sedimentation
Sedimentation is a form of separating substances. This process involves letting an
insoluble substance (a substance that will not dissolve in a solvent) settle.
Hence, sedimentation can be used for seperation of solid-liquid mixtures, where solid is
insoluble. Such mixtures are called suspension.

4. Distillation
Distillation is a separation technique that is used to extract a mixture solid in a liquid. It
is basically the process of heating the liquid to form vapours, and then condensing the
vapours in order to get back the liquid. The liquid that is obtained by performing the
condensation of vapour is called the distillate.

5. Precipitation
Precipitation is a technique used to separate a mixture based on the solubility of its
components. The solubility of a compound depends on the ionic strength of the solution,
its pH, and temperature. Manipulation of these factors can cause a compound to
become an insoluble solid, and fall out of solution.
6. Chromatography
Chromatography is based on the principle where molecules in mixture applied onto the
surface or into the solid, and fluid stationary phase (stable phase) is separating from
each other while moving with the aid of a mobile phase.

7. Centrifugation
Centrifugation is a method of separating molecules having different densities by
spinning them in solution around an axis (in a centrifuge rotor) at high speed. It is one of
the most useful and frequently employed techniques in the molecular biology laboratory.

8. Rectification
Rectification is a thermal separation process in which the more volatile components of a
mixture are recovered and concentrated. The supply of thermal energy vaporizes the
more volatile components and the ascending vapor phase comes into contact with
descending liquid (reflux of volatile components).

9. Gravity Filtration
The most common methods of solid-liquid separation in the organic lab are gravity and
suction filtration. Gravity filtration refers to pouring a solid-liquid mixture through a funnel
containing a filter paper, allowing the liquid to seep through while trapping the solid on
the paper.

10. Panning
panning, in mining, simple method of separating particles of greater specific gravity
(especially gold) from soil or gravels by washing in a pan with water. Panning is one of
the principal techniques of the individual prospector for recovering gold and diamonds in
placer (alluvial) deposits.