Name: ____________________________

Group #: __________

METHODS OF SEPARATION
Introduction:
Because the components of a mixture have different properties, these
differences can be used to separate one substance from another. For
example, water can be added to a mixture of salt and sand. The salt
will dissolve in the water which can be poured off leaving behind only
the sand.
Some of the properties that can be used to separate substances can
include the following:
1) a difference in the size of particles
- some particles will be affected by gravity and settle out
or sediment more easily
- some particles will be too large to pass through the
holes in a filter
2) attraction to a magnet
3) a difference in solubility
4) a difference in the boiling point
Lab Exercise
Part ASedimentation and decantation
Materials:
Substances: Coarse sand
Fine sand
Magnesium carbonate
Salt
Procedure:

Stirring rod
five 150 mL beakers
Marker

1) Add each of the 4 substances (coarse sand, fine sand, magnesium

carbonate, salt) to a separate 150 ml beaker. Label your beakers using
a marker.
- use only a very small amount of salt and magnesium
carbonate
- use about 25 ml of coarse and fine sand
2) Add 25 mL of water to each beaker and stir the contents with the
stirring rod.
3) Let the contents settle and observe the mixtures. Record
observations.
4) In the results table, indicate which substance sediments first (1),
second (2) etc, or not at all.
4) For the mixtures where sedimentation occurred, pour out the water
into your 5th beaker. This process is called decantation.
5) For the mixtures that did not sediment, do not do anything.
1

Results:
Substance

Appearance of mixture

Rate of
Settling (ie.
fast, slow)

Order to
sediment (1, 2
or not at all)

Coarse sand
Fine sand
Magnesium
carbonate
Salt

Questions:
1) Is there a relationship between the size of the particles and the rate
of settling?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2) Can this method be used for all types of mixtures? Explain.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Part B Filtration

Materials: Magnesium carbonate and water mixture (left from Part

A)
Salt and water mixture (left from Part A)
2 filter papers
2 funnels
2 Erlenmeyer flasks
Procedure:
1) Fold the filter papers as shown by your teacher and place it in the
funnel
2) Place the funnel on top of the Erlenmeyer flask
3) Pour the magnesium carbonate and water mixture into the funnel
and wait for the filtrate to pass through into the Erlenmeyer flask.
4) Repeat the same process for the salt and water mixture.
Note: The filtrate is the liquid that passes through the filter paper.
The residue is what is left on the filter paper.
Results:
Mixture

Appearance
of residue

Nature of
residue
(what is it?)

Appearance of
filtrate

Nature of
filtrate

Magnesium
Carbonate
and water
Salt and
Water
Questions:
1) How does filtration work?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2) Can this method be used with both of these mixtures? Explain.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Part C- Distillation:
Materials: Erlenmeyer flask
hot plate

distillation apparatus
600 mL beaker
3

test tube
salt and water solution
Procedure:
1) Use the salt and water solution in the Erlenmeyer flask from Part B
of the experiment.
2) Set up the equipment according to the sample at the front of the
lab.
2) Turn on the hot plate and boil until the salt and water are separated.
Note: The distillate is the liquid that is being boiled off from the flask.
The residue is what is left behind in the Erlenmeyer flask.
Results:
Mixture

Appearance
of residue

Nature of
residue
(ie. What is it?)

Appearance of
distillate

Nature of
distillate

Salt
and
water

Question:
1) How does distillation work?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________