Question

Suggest a method of separating each of the following mixtures into two components: (a) sugar and sand, (b) iron and sulfur.

Short answer

To separate sugar and sand, add water to dissolve the sugar, then filter the mixture to remove the insoluble sand. Evaporate the water to obtain pure sugar crystals. To separate iron and sulfur, use a magnet to attract and collect the iron particles, then collect the remaining sulfur particles.

Step-by-step solution

Separating Sugar and Sand

As sugar is soluble in water while sand is not, we can use the solubility property to separate these two components. We can follow these steps to separate sugar and sand: 1. Add water: Add enough water to the mixture of sugar and sand to completely dissolve the sugar. Stir the mixture thoroughly to ensure maximum dissolution of sugar. 2. Filter the mixture: Use a filter paper and funnel to filter the dissolved sugar solution from the insoluble sand. As the sugar is in solution, it will pass through the filter paper while the sand will be trapped on the paper. 3. Evaporate the water: Collect the filtered sugar solution and evaporate the water using heat or by letting it stand undisturbed for a long period of time. The remaining substance should be pure sugar crystals.

Separating Iron and Sulfur

Since iron is a magnetic material and sulfur is not, we can use the magnetic property to separate these two components. Follow these steps to separate iron and sulfur: 1. Use a magnet: Place a magnet close to the mixture of iron and sulfur. The iron particles will be attracted to the magnet, while the sulfur particles will not be affected. 2. Collect the iron: Slowly move the magnet along the surface of the mixture, collecting as many iron particles as possible. Be careful not to touch the magnet directly to the mixture, as this could cause some sulfur particles to be picked up with the iron. 3. Remove remaining iron particles: Repeat the process of moving the magnet around the mixture until no more iron particles can be collected. 4. Collect the sulfur: Once the iron particles have been completely removed, you can collect the remaining sulfur particles by scooping them out of the container or transferring them to another container. By using these methods, we can successfully separate the mixtures of sugar and sand, as well as iron and sulfur into their individual components.

Key concepts

Solubility

Solubility is a property that describes how well a substance dissolves in a solvent, such as water. Some substances dissolve easily, while others do not. To separate a mixture using solubility, determine which component dissolves in water and which does not.

• Sugar and Sand: Sugar dissolves in water, but sand does not. By mixing sugar and sand with water, only the sugar will dissolve, allowing you to separate it from the sand.
• Solubility Use: After dissolving the sugar, you can remove the insoluble sand by filtration, leaving behind a solution of sugar and water.

Understanding solubility can help identify ways to separate substances based on their ability to dissolve.

Filtration

Filtration is a handy technique for separating an insoluble solid from a liquid. It's a physical process where a mixture is poured through a filter, which allows the liquid part to pass through, while trapping the solid particles.

• A filter paper and a funnel are commonly used in this method.
• For separating sugar and sand, after dissolving sugar in water, filtration removes the sand from the sugar solution effectively.

The result is two separate parts: solid sand caught in the filter paper and liquid sugar water passing through.

Magnetism

Magnetism can be used to separate materials based on their magnetic properties. This method works great for mixtures involving magnetic and non-magnetic components.

• Iron and Sulfur: Iron is magnetic, while sulfur is not. By using a magnet, iron particles can be pulled out of the mixture, leaving sulfur behind.
• Collection Process: Move a magnet over the mixture, and iron particles will stick to the magnet. Carefully removing these particles will separate them from the rest of the mixture.

This technique is simple yet effective and works well for mixtures like iron and sulfur.

Evaporation

Evaporation refers to the transformation of a liquid into a gas. When separating mixtures, evaporation helps in recovering solid solutes from a liquid solution.

• Evaporating Water: After filtering sugar water, you can evaporate the water to retrieve the sugar. This can be done by heating the solution or leaving it to stand until the water evaporates naturally.
• Collection of Solids: As the water evaporates, sugar crystals remain. This method allows the recovery of solid substances from a liquid solution.

Utilizing evaporation is a practical way to separate components in solutions like sugar water after filtration.