EXPERIMENT: 4 Physical Separation Techniques
OBJECTIVES
To familiarize different separation technique like filtration , evaporation and magnetism
To distinguish solubility of each of the given substance
To compute for the percent recovery and percent mass in the mixtures
INTRODUCTION
When two or more substances that do not react chemically are blended together, the components of the mixture
retain their individual identity and properties. The separation of the components of a mixture is a problem
frequently encountered in chemistry. The basis of separation theory is the fact that components of a mixture
have different physical and chemical properties. The components are pure substances, either elements or
compounds. Under the same conditions of pressure and temperature, the properties of every sample of a pure
substance are identical. Each sample melts at the same temperature, boils at the same temperature, has the same
solubility in a given solvent, etc. Although these and other characteristics can be used to identify a particular
substance, we will be concerned in this experiment with the separation of a mixture into its components, not
with the identification of the substances. Techniques used to separate mixtures rely on differences in the
physical properties of the components. Techniques used for separation of mixtures include:
Distillation: The purification of a liquid by heating it to its boiling point, causing vaporization, and then
condensing the vapor and collecting the liquid. Nonvolatile solids are easy to remove from a solution because
they do not vaporize and are left behind during distillation. Separation of a mixture of two liquids requires that
they have different boiling temperatures. Decreasing the pressure over the liquid will reduce all boiling
temperatures.
Extraction: The removal of one substance from a mixture by use of a solvent that will dissolve one component
but not the other.
Filtration: The process of removing or “straining” a solid (sometimes called a precipitate) from a liquid by the
use of filter paper or other porous material.
Decanting: Pouring a liquid from a solid-liquid mixture, leaving the solid behind.
Sublimation: The physical process by which some substances can pass directly from the solid state to the
gaseous state without the appearance of the liquid state. Not all substances possess this characteristic. If one
component of a mixture sublimes, this property may be used to separate it from the other components of the
mixture. Iodine (I2), naphthalene (C10H8, mothballs), ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) and dry ice (solid CO2)
are substances that sublime easily.
Centrifuging: The process of separating a suspended solid from a liquid by spinning the mixture at high speed.
Chromatography: The separation of a mixture by the distribution of its components between a stationary phase
and a moving phase. Some examples are gas chromatography, paper chromatography, and thin-layer
chromatography.
In this experiment you will separate a three-component mixture of sodium chloride, iron filings, and silicon
dioxide into its individual components. Measuring the mass of the original mixture and measuring the masses of
the pure components will allow you to calculate the percent by mass of each substance in the original mixture.
MATERIALS USED
Graduated cylinder (50mL)
Evaporating dish
Hotplate
Iron stand with ring
Iron fillings (powdered)
Wire gauze
Sand
Stirring rod
Salt
Funnel
Beaker (100mL) spatula
Analytical balance Filter paper
METHODOLOGY
Part A: Preparing the mixture
1. Place a beaker on the electronic balance and hit zero (tare).
2. Add a teaspoon of the sand to the beaker. Record the mass.
3. Zero the balance once again and add a teaspoon of salt. Record the mass.
4. Zero the balance again, and add a teaspoon of iron fillings (use the remaining filings in the weighing dish –
conserve). Record the mass.
5. Calculate the percent composition of each component of the mixture using the following equation.
mass of component
percent mass= ∗100 %
total mass of mixture
Part B: Determining Physical Properties of Substances
1. Using a plastic teaspoon, transfer a teaspoon of salt, sand, and iron filings to three plastic weighing dishes
for observation.
2. Observe the physical appearance of each substance. Record.
3. Insert a magnet into a plastic bag so that no surface of the magnet is exposed. Move the wrapped magnet
through each substance in the dishes. If a substance is magnetic, it will stick to the bag that covers the
magnet. Not: Do NOT place the bare magnet directly into the materials. It will be difficult to remove the
magnetic material from the surface of the magnet. Record all observations.
4. To remove the magnetic material, carefully open the bag and remove the magnet. The magnetic material
will fall off the bag (back into the weighing dish) when the magnet is removed
5. Determine whether each substance is soluble in water by adding a small amount to separate test tubes
containing about 2 ml of water. Gently swirl or shake the test tubes and record your observations.
6. Combine the remaining dry samples of sand and salt. Mix together and observe the combination. Describe
its physical appearance.
7. Transfer this combined sample to a small beaker and add 10 ml of water. Stir the sample with a stirring rod
and record any changes that occur.
8. Preweighed the filter paper
9. Clamp a ring to a ring stand to support a filter funnel. Position the funnel above a beaker. Fold a piece of
filter paper into quarters and place the paper in the funnel with three quarters placed to one side so that the
paper forms a cone.
10. Wet the filter paper slightly with distilled water from a wash bottle and then slowly pour the mixture from
step 7 into the funnel, using a stirring rod to guide the flow of liquid.
11. Using a wash bottle, rinse all of the solid remaining in the sample beaker into the funnel. Use a minimum
amount of water (no more than 25 ml)
12. Dry the filter paper and note for the mass of filter paper + sample.
13. Calculate the percent recovery of each component using the following equation.
Mass of re cov ed component
Percent re cov ery= ∗100 %
Mass of original component
Part C . Percentage og Salt and Sand Mixture by Evaporation
1. Weigh 5 grams of salt and 5g of sand sample in the evaporating dish.
2. Add 20 mL of deionized water to the solid in the evaporating dish. Stir gently.
3. Obtain a second clean, dry evaporating dish and weigh it. Recording the mass in Table III.
4. Obtain a piece of filter paper and write your unknown number on it. Then fold it as illustrated below, and
weigh. Record the paper mass in Table II.
5. Place the paper in a filter funnel supported by a iron ring on a ring attached to a ring stand, and wet it gently
to make the paper stick to the funnel. Place the second weighed evaporating dish under the funnel with the end
of the stem of the funnel lightly touching the inside of the evaporating dish.
6. Slowly pour the sand-salt and water mixture through the funnel. Add a small amount of distilled water from
your wash bottle to rinse out any remaining solid from the original evaporating dish and pour it through the
filter. (Add only enough water to remove any solids. Excess water will have to be evaporated.)
7. After the liquid has drained through the filter, carefully remove the paper from the funnel, unfold it, and place
it on a watch glass. Place the glass and paper under a heating lamp to dry. You need to weigh the dried paper
and find the mass of the sand, which is in step 7. However, you can proceed to step 8 while the filter paper is
drying.
8. Weigh the dried paper and find the mass of the sand + salt. Record your data in Table II. Calculate the
percentage of sand in the original mixture.
9. Place the evaporating dish on the hot plate. This can be done on the bench top. However, handle the hot
plates with care. Do NOT move a hot plate that is not completely cool. Begin heating using a high temperature
setting.
10. Once the mixture begins to “boil” reduce the heat. Continue heating gently.
11. Lower the temperature as needed to avoid splattering. The less water present, the lower the temperature
required. Heat very gently and very slowly until all moisture is removed.
12. Remove the evaporating dish from the hot plate with a tong and set it on the bench top to cool.
13. Weigh the cooled dish plus solid and record it in Table III.
DATA AND RESULTS
Part A: Preparing the mixture
Mass of Component Percent Mass of Component
Salt
Sand
Iron
Total Mass of Mixture
Part B: Determining Physical Properties of Substances
Substance Physical Appearance Magnetism Solubility in Water
Salt
Sand
Iron
Physical Appearance Magnetism Solubility in Water
Sand + Salt
Mass of the residue (sand + salt)
Sample Mass of filter Mass of filter Mass of Original sample % Recovery
paper, g paper + sample, sample, g before filtration,
g g
Sand + NaCl
PART C. Percentage of Sand and Salt mixture by Evaportation
Mass dried paper + sand + salt g Calculations
Mass paper g
Mass sand g
Mass of salt g
Mass of sand+ salt and water g
Mass sample (sand + salt) g
Mass % of sand
