Choosing a Separation and Purification Method Flashcards

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What is a separation technique in chemistry?

A separation technique is a method used to split a mixture into its different substances.

Why is it important to choose the right separation method?

It helps you get a pure product safely, and it can save time, energy and materials.

Which properties of substances do you look at when choosing a separation method?

You look at properties such as whether they dissolve in a solvent, their boiling points, and the size of their particles.

Which method would you use to remove sand from salty water, and why?

Use filtration, because sand is an insoluble solid and can be trapped by the filter while the salty water passes through.

If you have salty water and you want solid salt, which separation method should you choose?

Use evaporation or crystallisation, where the water is removed by heating and the salt is left behind as solid crystals.

If you have salty water and you want pure water, which separation method should you choose?

Use simple distillation, where the water boils, turns to vapour, then condenses and is collected, leaving the salt behind.

When would you choose simple distillation instead of fractional distillation?

Choose simple distillation to separate one liquid from a solution, or liquids with very different boiling points.

When would you choose fractional distillation instead of simple distillation?

Choose fractional distillation to separate a mixture of liquids that are mixed together and have boiling points that are close to each other.

When is chromatography a good choice for separating a mixture?

Chromatography is useful when you want to separate and identify different coloured or dissolved substances in a small sample, such as inks or food dyes.

How could you get pure, dry salt from a mixture of sand, salt and water?

First filter the mixture to remove the sand, then heat the salty water to evaporate the water or crystallise the salt, and finally dry the salt.

What is the difference between separating a mixture and purifying a substance?

Separating a mixture means splitting it into parts, while purifying a substance means removing all other substances so that only the desired substance is left.

How does the substance you want to collect affect which separation method you choose?

If you want the solid from a solution, you remove the liquid by evaporation or crystallisation; if you want the liquid, you use distillation so you keep the liquid and leave the solid behind.

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