Evaporation  Crystallisation 

Elements, compounds and mixtures

Evaporation can be used as a technique to separate the soluble solid solute from Crystallisation is a
the solvent in a solution. The solvent is the liquid, and when the solution is separation technique used to
An element is a substance that cannot be
heated, the solvent evaporates. The solute is left behind as crystals. obtain crystals of a solid
broken down into other substances. The
solute. When the solution is
smallest part of an element that can exist is an
heated the solvent
atom. Filtration 
evaporates (e.g. water) and
A compound is a substance made when two or The soluble filtrate passes through crystals of the solute (e.g.
more elements are chemically bonded together. the filter paper. The insoluble copper sulfate) are left
A mixture is a substance consisting of two or residue is the solid left on the filter behind.
more substances not chemically combined paper. E.g. separating sand from
together. You can have mixtures of elements, salt solution.
mixtures of compounds, or mixtures containing Sand = residue.
both. Salt solution = filtrate. Fractional distillation
To separate a liquid from
 Distillation (simple) another liquid. The
liquids must have
Distillation is a separation technique to
different boiling points
separate a solvent from a mixture. E.g.
e.g. ethanol 78oC and
to collect water from salt solution.
Mixture of Mixture of an water 100oC. The liquid
4 molecules of Mixture of two 6 atoms of an Water evaporates and then condenses
two elements element with the lower boiling
an element elements and a element and collects in the beaker and salt
(both (monatomic) point evaporates and
(diatomic) compound (monatomic) remains in the flask.
monatomic) and a compound condenses first.

Interpreting chemical formula

H3PO4 three hydrogen atoms, one phosphorous atom and four
oxygen atoms. The total number of atoms in this formula is 8.
Fe2(SO4)3 two iron atoms, three sulfur atoms and twelve oxygen atoms.
The total number of atoms in this formula is 17.
(NH4)2SO4 two nitrogen atoms, eight hydrogen atoms, 1 sulfur atom and
four hydrogen atoms. The total number of atoms in this
formula is 15.
The structure of a compound is shown. What is the
formula of the compound? Answer: C4H8O2
The structure of a compound is shown. What is the
formula of the compound? Answer: C5H12O2
How many different.types of atoms are in each of these molecules?
two three two
Dye 3 is made up of three colours. Dye 3 contains the same green pigment as dye
2. Dye 3 contains a different blue pigment to dye 4. Dye 5 is a pure substance (as
only one spot). Dye 6 is insoluble in this solvent.
Lid
Chromatography 
Distance
Chromatography is used to separate mixtures of soluble substances. These are travelled by
often coloured substances such as food colourings, inks, dyes or plant pigments. the solvent
Chromatograms can be used to match known pigments with those in a mixture. On
Distance
a chromatogram, one spot means that the substance is pure. An impure substance
travelled by
produces two or more spots.
the spot
• Chromatography works because some of the coloured substances are
more soluble in water than others. Inks / dyes / pigments with a Pencil line
higher solubility move further up the paper.
Solvent
• A mixture will separate into more than one spot, in a vertical column.
1 2 3 4 5 6
• The higher the spot, the more soluble the substance
• By matching the colour and height of the spots, you can identify the pigments
Rf values can be used to identify unknown
which were present in the mixture.
chemicals if they can be compared to a range
• Spots of inks or dyes are placed on a line drawn in pencil, above the solvent.
of reference substances. The Rf value of a
• If the line was drawn in pen it might dissolve and move up the paper too.
spot is calculated using:
• If the line is below the solvent the dyes dissolve in the solvent and will not climb.
• The lid is to reduce evaporation of the solvent, especially important if the solvent
is flammable.