11

General
Chemistry I
Quarter 1 – Week 1-Module 4:
Separating Mixtures
Chemistry – Grade 11
Self- Learning Module
Quarter 1 – Module 4 “Separating Mixtures?”
First Edition, 2020

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 11

General
Chemistry I
Quarter 1 – Week 1-Module 4:
Separating Mixtures
 I. Introduction

Components of mixture are often easy to separate. A mixture of salt and salt,
for example can be separated by simply adding water. The salt dissolves to form a
salt solution, while the sand settles to the bottom. The salt and water may then be
separated by evaporating the water.

II. Learning Competency

● Describe various simple separation techniques such as distillation, chromatography.

(STEM_GC11MPla-b-12)

III.Pre-Test

Write the letter of the correct answer

1. Which of the following pairs of substances may best be separated through
distillation?
a. Sand and soil b. salt and sand c. water and soil d. water and
alcohol
2. Which one of the following methods is used to separate the colors in food dyes?
a. Evaporation b. chromatography c. decanting d. sieving
3. The separation technique that involves heating a solution until the liquid changes
into a gaseous state, leaving behind a solid is known as
a. Chromatography b. sterilization c. decanting d. evaporation
4. Which of the following is a simple method of separating an insoluble solid from a
liquid?
a. Evaporation d. decanting c. filtration d. distillations
5. In a coffee machine, the ground coffee is separated from the coffee solution using
a. Filter paper b. sand paper d. tissue paper d. toilet paper

Well, how was it? Don’t feel bad

if your answers are wrong. You
will finally know the correct
answer after finishing this

Activity 1. I Want to Break Free!

In This activity, you should be able to

● Identify simple separation technique

● Describe various simple separation technique

Engage

Matter physically combines to form mixture. The individual substances can be

separated using different methods, depending on the type of mixture. What is the best
method in separating mixtures containing soluble solid in a liquid? Insoluble solid in a
liquid? Can you separate the components of a mixture containing liquids with different
boiling point?

Elicit

1. Look at the list of mixtures below.

2. Identify the type of substances (solid, liquid or gas) that are mixed in each of the
examples on the list.
3. Write the name of each example in the appropriate block on the diagram.

Mixtures

● Air
● Smoke
● Salty water
● Alloys such as brass (used for coins)
● Spray deodorant
● vinegar

gas
Gas   Liquid
Liquid     solid
Solid      

Now that you know about the different type of

mixtures that are possible, you are going to learn
some ways of separating them. Are you ready to
perform paper chromatography? Why is it important
to separate components of a mixture?

Explore

Paper Chromatography

Materials: chromatography paper or filter paper, beaker, water, colored marker, pencil
 1. Take a piece of chromatography paper (use filter paper instead). Draw a pencil line
across it about 1 cm from one end and mark crosses on the paper.
2. Using colored markers, place small spots of color on the crosses.
3. Put water in the beaker (use glass container or plastic cup) to a depth of about 0.5
cm.
4. Hang the chromatographv paper in the beaker so that it dips into the water but with
the spots of color above the water level.
5. Allow the water to rise up the paper until it is almost to the top.
6. Remove the paper, mark where the water reached ( solvent front) and hang it up to
dry.
7. When dry, measure the distances moved by the spots and the solvent front.

Draw your laboratory set-up:

Write your observation here:

_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
______

_________________________________________________________________________________________
___

Explain

Answer the following questions

1. Why should the line of the bottom of the paper be drawn on pencil?
___________________________________________________________________________
2. What would happen if the level of the solvent came above the level of the spots at the
start?
____________________________________________________________________________
3. Why should the solvent not be run off the top of the paper?
___________________________________________________________________________
4. What color did you observe in the colored marker?
___________________________________________________________________________

Elaborate

Mixtures can be separated using a variety of techniques.

If a substance does not dissolve in a solvent, we say that it is insoluble. For example, sand
does not dissolve in water- it is insoluble.

Filtration is a method for separating insolublke solid from a liquid. When a mixture of
sand and water is filtered.

● The sand stays in the filter paper (it becomes a residue)

● The water passes through the filter paper (it becomes the filtrate)

Evaporation is used to separate a soluble solid from a liquid. For example, copper
sulfate is soluble in water- its crystals dissolve in water to form copper sulfate
solution. During evaporation, the water evaporates away leaving copper sulfate
crystals behind.

Simple distillation is a method for separating the solvent from a solution.

• 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.

• Chromatography is used to separate mixtures of coloured compounds.

• Paper chromatography is a method for separating dissolved substances from one another.
 • It is often used when the dissolved substances are coloured, such as inks, food
colourings and plant dyes. t works because some of the coloured substances dissolve in the
solvent used better than others, so they travel further up the paper.

A pure substance will only produce one spot on the chromatogram during paper
chromatography. Two substances will be the same if they produce the 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

The colours separate and move up the paper at different rates

• Chromatography can be used to separate mixtures of coloured compounds.

• Mixtures that are suitable for separation by chromatography include inks, dyes and
colouring agents in food.

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.

Extend

A. Identify which separation method is most suited for the following mixtures. Write
Y if yes or N if no.

Separation A mixture of A mixture of A mixture of A mixture of

Methods Solid liquids solid dissolved in solid and liquid
liquid

Evaporation

Distillation

Filtration

chromatography

B. What method of separation would be most effective on the following mixtures?

a. Vinegar
b. Loose tea leaves in tea
c. Copper sulfate(solid) in water
C. Propose a method to separate the components of the following complex mixtures
a. A mixture of sand and sea water (water and salt)
b. A mixture of marbles, small gold nuggets and sugar

Congratulations for a job well-done! Now, try

answering the post-test below.

V.Post-Test

Directions: Read and analyze each question and write the letter of the correct
answer in your science notebook.

1. Sodium chloride can be separated from rock salt by first adding water to the mixture
to dissolve sodium chloride. The separation then takes place in two stages:
a. Evaporation followed by filtration
b. Distillation followed by decanting
c. Filtration followed by evaporation
d. Filtration followed by decanting
2. Wh ich of the following shows the separation method for decanting?
 a. c.

b. d.

3. Which of the following methods is used to separate heterogeneous mixtures of solids

and liquids?
a. Filtration b. crystallization c. distillation d. chromatography
4. If you know the components of the mixture and the boiling points of the
components, which is a possible way to isolate the components of the mixture?
a. Magnetic attraction c. evaporation
b. Distillation d. paper chromatography
5. What property does paper chromatography make use of to separate its components?
a. Components of a liquid mixture will travel at different rates
b. Absorption rate of the chemicals
c. Solubility of the solvent in the filter paper
d. A filter paper can be used

Answer Key

Pre test

1. D
2. B
3. D
4. C
5. A

Activity

Elicit

gas
 Gas  air Liquid
Liquid  Spray deodorant  vinegar solid
Solid  smoke  Salty water  alloy

Extend

A.

Separation A mixture of A mixture of A mixture of A mixture of

Methods Solid liquids solid dissolved in solid and liquid
liquid

Evaporation N N Y* Y**

Distillation N Y* Y* N

Filtration N N N Y

chromatography Y* Y* Y* Y*

*
success depends on the physical properties of the components in the mixture
**
would work but filtration is so much faster

B. What method of separation would be most effective on the following mixtures?

a. Vinegar( distillation)
b. Loose tea leaves in tea (filtration)
c. Copper sulfate(solid) in water (evaporation)
C. Propose a method to separate the components of the following complex mixtures
a. A mixture of sand and sea water (water and salt) ( filtration to remove the
sand, then evaporation the salt solution to retrieve salt crystals)
b. A mixture of marbles, small gold nuggets and sugar. (Manual separation of
the marbles(removing using fingers), dissolve the rest in water, then
filtration to remove the gold nuggets, and then evaporation to retrieve
sugar crystals)

Post Test

1. C
2. D
3. A
4. B
5. A

REFERENCES

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/cheminter/chapter/methods-for-separating-mixtures/

http://www.sciencequiz.net/newjcscience/jcchemistry/septechniques/septechniques1a_mcq.htm
 https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/chem1114langaracollege/chapter/1-3-laboratory-techniques-for-
separation-of-mixtures/