Methods of Separating Components of

Mixtures
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 Mixtures
• Something is a MIXTURE if it contains two (or more)
substances that are not chemically joined together.
• The substances in a mixture can often be easily
separated from one another.
• Solubility – capability of being dissolved (solid to liquid)
• Miscibility – capability of being mixed (liquid to liquid)
Mixtures can be separated by means of:

• Filtration
• Mechanical separation
• Flotation
• Centrifugation
• Distillation
• Fractional Crystallization
• Chromatography
Filtration
• The process of separating the insoluble solid from the
liquid substance by allowing the liquid to pass through
a porous material.
• Residue – the solid particles which are retained in the
filter paper.
• Filtrate – the clear liquid which passes through the filter
paper.
• Example: Sand and water
Mechanical Separation
• Involves the use of forceps, sieves,
magnets and other similar tools.
• Gravel and sand are separated by picking
the gravel or passing the mixture over a
wire screen.
Flotation
• A process in which some solids of a
suspension mixture are allowed to settle
and the less dense material is poured off.
• Example: panning of gold
Centrifugation
• Speed up the settling of the precipitate.
• The centrifuge is a motor-driven apparatus.
• The centripetal force developed during the rotation
brings the precipitate to the bottom of the tube.
• The supernatant liquid or centrifugate is poured
off.
Decantation
• To draw off a liquid without disturbing the
sediment or the lower liquid layers into
another vessel
• Example: panning of gold
Distillation (Simple)
• Is a process that involves the evaporation and condensation of
volatile liquid.
• The more volatile liquid in the mixture boils off first, evaporates,
then condenses.
• Distillate – is the liquid formed from the condensation of the vapor.
• Distillation is used for:
a. Separating solvent from solute
b. Liquids with different boiling points
Fractional Distillation
• Is a process used to separate a liquid mixture
with a small range of boiling points.
• The volatile components are separated one
after another in a decreasing order of boiling
points
• Example: crude oil is separated into fractions of
gasoline, kerosene, lubricating oil, etc.
Chromatography
• Uses the difference in degree to which
substances are absorbed on the surface of
an inert substance.
• Column and thin layer chromatography are
examples of adsorption chromatography.
• Example: color components of ink
Give practical examples of
how do you practice
separation of mixtures at
home.
Quiz
 1

To get salt out of a solution (separating salt from

water) we could try_____.
a. Melting it
b. Evaporating the water so the salt is left behind
c. Using a magnet
d. Using the solute to redissolve it
 2

Which one of the following methods would NOT be

used to separate an insoluble solid and a liquid?
a. chromatography
b. decanting
c. evaporation
d. filtration
 3

Which one of the following pairs of separation

techniques will BOTH separate sand from a
mixture of salt and water.
a.Decanting and distillation
b.Decanting and filtration
c.Chromatography and evaporation
d.Distillation and evaporation
 4

If I pour the water off after I boil the potatoes,

what separation technique did I practice?
a. Filtration
b. Decanting
c. Flotation
d. Mechanical separation
 5

Which of the following separations cannot be

carried out using a centrifuge?
a. water from wet clothes
b. salt from sea water
c. red blood cells from plasma
d. cream from milk
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