Separating mixtures
The substances in a mixture are relatively easy to separate, because they are not chemically joined to each other.
The components of a mixture can be separated without chemical reactions
We will look at five different ways of separating mixtures:
- Method used to separate an insoluble solid from a liquid using a physical barrier such as paper.
- The process of producing crystals from a solution by evaporating the solvent.
- Chromatography is used to separate different substances dissolved in a liquid.
- A separation technique which involves a solution being heated so that the solvent evaporates before being cooled to form a pure liquid.
- In fractional distillation a mixture of several substances, such as crude oil, is distilled and the evaporated components are collected as they condense at different temperatures.
The following terms are useful to know when thinking about separating mixtures.
- a solute is the substance that dissolves in a solvent.
- a solvent is the liquid in which a solute dissolves.
- a solution is a solute dissolved in a solvent.
- a soluble substance is one which will dissolve in a solvent.
- an insoluble substance is one which does not dissolve in a solvent.
- a filtrate is a filtered solution.
- a residue is a solid left behind after filtration.
- a distillate is a liquid produced by distillation.
- miscible liquids are ones that can mix together.
- immiscible liquids cannot be mixed together.
- evaporation is when a liquid is heated and changes state into a gas.
- condensation is when a gas cools and changes state into a liquid.