Question

If iron filings are placed with excess powdered sulfur in a beaker, the iron filings are still attracted by a magnet and could be separated from the sulfur with the magnet. Would this combination of iron and sulfur represent a mixture or a pure substance?

Short answer

The combination of iron filings and powdered sulfur represents a mixture, as they have not chemically combined and can be separated by physical means (using a magnet). The components in the mixture have retained their individual properties, showing that they are not a pure substance.

Step-by-step solution

Understand the difference between a mixture and a pure substance

A mixture is a combination of two or more substances that are not chemically combined and can be separated by physical means. A pure substance is a single element or compound that has a fixed composition and cannot be separated into simpler substances by physical means.

Analyze the properties of the combination

In this case, iron filings are mixed with powdered sulfur in a beaker. When a magnet is brought near the beaker, the iron filings are attracted to the magnet and can be separated from the sulfur. This shows that the components of the combination have retained their individual properties (i.e., iron being attracted to a magnet), indicating that they have not chemically combined.

Determine if the combination is a mixture or a pure substance

Since the iron filings and sulfur powder have not chemically combined and can be separated by physical means (using a magnet), the combination represents a mixture, not a pure substance.

Key concepts

Pure Substance

A pure substance is a material with a uniform and definite composition, meaning that it consists of only one type of particle. These particles can be either elements or compounds. Pure substances have distinct properties and a fixed ratio of atoms. For example, pure water ($H_{2}O$) is a compound consisting of hydrogen and oxygen in a 2:1 ratio, and it always has the same properties regardless of its source.
A key feature of pure substances is that they cannot be broken down into simpler substances through physical means. Instead, changes in pure substances typically involve chemical reactions. For instance, to break water into hydrogen and oxygen, one would need to perform electrolysis—a chemical process. This is different from mixtures, where components can be separated by physical means.
In summary, the distinguishing factors for pure substances compared to mixtures are their fixed composition and the requirement for chemical methods to separate them if they are compounds.

Separation Techniques

Separation techniques are methods used to separate the components of mixtures without changing their chemical identity. These techniques rely on differences in physical properties such as size, boiling point, or magnetic property.
The technique used depends on the type of mixture and the properties of its components. Here are some common separation techniques:

• Filtration: Used to separate solids from liquids or gases using a filter medium that only allows the fluid to pass through.
• Distillation: Takes advantage of differences in boiling points to separate liquid mixtures. The mixture is heated until one component evaporates, then it is condensed back into a liquid and collected separately.
• Magnetic Separation: Utilizes the magnetic properties of some components to separate them from the rest of the mixture. This method was highlighted in our original exercise, where a magnet is used to extract iron filings from sulfur powder.

Separation techniques not only help in industrial applications but also in everyday processes like recycling. They allow the recovery and reuse of valuable substances.

Magnetic Properties

Magnetic properties refer to the behavior of materials in relation to magnets. When deciding whether a material can be separated using magnets, one must consider its magnetic properties.
Materials can be classified based on their response to a magnetic field:

• Ferromagnetic: These materials, such as iron, cobalt, and nickel, are strongly attracted to magnets and can be easily separated from mixtures using magnetic separation. They have high magnetic susceptibility.
• Paramagnetic: These materials are weakly attracted by a magnetic field and do not retain magnetic properties once the external field is removed. Examples include aluminum and platinum.
• Diamagnetic: These materials are slightly repelled by a magnetic field, such as copper and bismuth.

Understanding magnetic properties is crucial in applications where magnetic separation is needed. It helps in waste management, mining, and other sectors where specific materials must be identified and extracted.