Separation Techniques Key Revision
Facts
Filtration
Filtration will separate insoluble solids
from liquids.
The solution is poured through the
equipment to the right
The liquid is small enough to pass
through the holes in the filter paper.
The solid particles are too big to fit
through the holes so stays at the top.
E.g. sand in water – the water passes
through the holes in the filter paper and the sand stays at the top.
Evaporation / Crystallisation
A solution of a liquid and a soluble solid is heated,
the liquid evaporates (from a liquid to gas), and solid
crystals are left behind.
e.g. salt water – the water evaporates and the
salt is left behind in the evaporating dish. ONLY
the salt is collected.
Distillation
Distillation can be used to obtain pure water from salt
water.
Salt water is heated up until it starts to boil. The
water molecules gain energy and evaporation (from
liquid to gas). The water vapour travels down the
condenser, it is then cooled and condenses (from gas to
liquid). The water is then collected. The salt is left
behind in the flask and the water is collected in the
flask.
Both the salt AND water are collected using this
method.
Chromatography
Chromatography can be used to find
out which compounds are in a certain
colour of dye or ink.
Method
draw a pencil line across the paper, 1-
2 cm from the bottom
use a pipette to add small spots of
each ink or dye to the line on the paper
place the paper into a container with a suitable solvent in the bottom
allow the solvent to move through the paper, but remove the chromatogram before it
reaches the top
allow the chromatogram to dry, then measure the distance travelled by each spot and
by the solvent
Retention factors (Rf)
This factor is used to compare chromatograms with different
solvent fronts. Calculating the Rf values allows different
samples to be compared.
If two substances have the same Rf value, they are not
necessarily the same compound. If they have different R f values, they are definitely
different compounds.
Either colour each square Red, Amber or Green or put a tick in each row to indicate how
confident you feel with each statement.
I can R A G
I can explain what type of substances filtration can separate.
I can draw and label filtration equipment.
I can give 2 examples when filtration is useful.
I can explain how evaporation can be used to separate mixtures.
I can label a distillation diagram.
I can explain how distillation can be used to obtain drinking water from
salt water.
I can explain how chromatography can be used to separate food
colourings or dyes.
Separation Techniques Test Yourself 1
Separation technique naming
Label each of the separation techniques pictured below.
Distillation
The apparatus shows the apparatus to carry out
distillation. Number the sentences to explain how
The water starts to boil and steam is
produced.
The pure water drips into the conical flask.
1 The salt water is heated.
The steam travels through the condenser.
As the steam travels along the condenser it
cools down and forms a liquid.
distillation works.
True or False?
State whether the following statement are true or false.
Chromatography is used by forensic scientists. ___________
When a substance dissolves, it is correct to say it disappears. ___________
A saturated solution will not allow any more solute to dissolve in it. ___________
Filtration will separate a soluble and insoluble substance. ___________
Water is the only solvent. ___________
Filtration
Use the following words to label the apparatus: residue, filtrate, insoluble, solid and liquid.
Key Words Word Search
INSOLUBLE SATURATED SOLUBLE
SOLUTE SOLUBILITY SOLUTION
SOLVENT
Rock Salt
Rock salt is a mixture of rock and salt. Number the sentences to state how the salt can be
separated from the pieces of rock.
The salt will dissolve.
Pour the salt water into an evaporating dish and heat gently
1 Add warm water to the rock salt and stir.
The water will evaporate and the salt crystals will appear in the
evaporating dish.
Filter the mixture, the salt solution will collect in the beaker and the
pieces of rock will collect in the filter paper.
Filtration Missing Vowels
r_s_d_ _
f_ltr_t_
_ns_l_bl_
s_l_bl_
l_q_ _d
Problem solving
You are given a bucket of sandy sea water. Your job is to get as much clean salt as possible
from the sandy liquid.
Arrange these sentences in the correct order so they best describe how you would do the
experiment.
(i) put the filtrate into an evaporating basin
(ii) collect salt from the evaporating basin
(iii) filter the sandy mixture
(iv) heat the evaporating basin until all the water has gone
(v) put filter paper in the filter funnel
Give one safety precaution that you should take when doing your experiment.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Evaporating, filtering and distilling are 3 methods of separating mixtures.
Which method would be best to use to
a) get salt from sea water ______________________
b) get drinking water from sea water ______________________
c) get clean water from muddy water ______________________
Separation Techniques Exam Style Qs
1) Distillation is a method that can be used to obtain drinking water from a sample of salt
water. Two different examples of distillation apparatus are shown below.
a) Which apparatus A or B will produce the drinking water the quickest? _______
Give a reason for your choice. _____________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
b) Using the following key words, explain how distillation works. Key words: boils,
cools, condenses, steam.
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
2) Paper chromatography can be used to identify dissolved substances, for example in
food colourings. Explain how it works. ____________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
3) In the space below, draw and label the apparatus required to separate a soluble
substance from an insoluble substance.
4) A different type of chromatography was used to examine 4 different colours of ink.
Compete the table below to show the results.
5) A student used paper chromatography to identify the colours in a black ink.
a) What colours are in the black ink?
__________________________
__________________________
b) Suggest which colour is least soluble
in the solvent. Give a reason for your
answer. ______________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
c) Calculate the Rf value for the green colour.
Use the equation:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
6) A student used paper chromatography to
investigate the colours in different inks.
The student made two mistakes in
setting up the apparatus.
a) Identify the two mistakes and
describe the problem each mistake
would cause.
Mistake 1 _______________________________________________________
Problem ________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Mistake 2 _______________________________________________________
Problem ________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
The student then set up the apparatus
without making any mistakes.
b) How can you tell from Figure 2 that the Rf
value for the blue ink is greater than the Rf
value for the red ink?
_______________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
7) The apparatus in the figure below is used to
separate a mixture of liquids in a fuel.
a) What is apparatus W on above the figure
above? Tick one box.
Beaker
Boiling Tube
Flask
Jug
b) What is the name of this method of Crystallisation
separation? Tick one box.
Electrolysis
Filtration
Distillation
c) Name the changes of state taking place at A and B in the figure above. Use words from
the box.
boiling condensing freezing melting
Change of state at A _____________________
Change of state at B _____________________
A student measured the melting point of a substance four times.
Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4
Melting point in °C 35 48 37 37
d)
Calculate the mean melting point of the hydrocarbon, leaving out the
anomalous result. Give your answer to two significant figures.
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Mean melting point ______________ °C
8) Race horses may be given drugs to
improve their perfomance in races. This
is illegal in the UK. After races, urine
samples are collected from the horses.
These samples are tested for drugs.
Chromatography is one of the tests used
to identify drugs in urine. The diagram
shows a chromatogram.
a) How do we know that sample 1 was a
pure sample of caffeine? ________
___________________________
__________________________________________________________
b) Calculate the Rf value for cocaine. Give your answer to 2 significant figures.
Use information from the diagram. Use
the equation:
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
Rf value of cocaine = ____________________
c) Give three conclusions about the urine sample from the horse. Use
information from the diagram.
1) _____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
2) _____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
3) _____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
