Separating mixtures

Question 1

Define the word mixture.

Answer 1

A mix of elements that are not chemically bonded.

Question 2

What is the difference between a mixture and a compound?

Answer 2

A compound is when different elements have been chemically bonded together, whereas a mixture is a mix of elements that have not been chemically bonded together.

Question 3

List different separation techniques.

Answer 3

Filtration
- used to separate solids form liquids or gases.
- Example: separating sand from water

Distillation
- Used to separate liquids with different boiling points.
- Example: purifying water or separating alcohol from a mixture.

Evaporation
- used to separate a solvent from a solute, leaving behind a solid.
- Example: separating water from salt water to leave behind salt.

Question 4

Explain how the chemical properties of a mixture relate to the chemical it is made from.

Answer 4

• If the mixture is non-reactive, then the chemical properties in each component remain the same in their pure form.
• If they are reactive, then the interaction between components may lead to new substances with different chemical properties.

Question 5

Explain in detail how multi-step separation techniques work.

Answer 5

Multi-step separation techniques work by combining different physical or chemical separation methods to exploit the unique properties of each component in a mixture.